Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last year was my first year breeding cal kings. I got two good clutches from my two girls. This year I only bred one of them to a young male. He hooked up with her twice. If she were gravid, she would have laid about two weeks ago, counting from her sheds. She is fat, but doesn't look or feel gravid, no larger on her bottom half.

My question is would it be a waste of time to put the male back in with her? Is the window closed?
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

Amy, I would DEFINITELY put them together again!. This time she could actually be plump from ovulating this time, and not before.

You will be able to tell quite easily if she is receptive to his advances or continually bucks him off and tail-slaps, etc..

Good luck with it!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Thanks, Doug. I'll try it and see what happens. Hoo boy - that male bites me every time I handle him. Latches on and just won't let go - LOL! He thinks I'm food. Have to clean his cage tomorrow, so it would be a good time to put them together.
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

I agree with Doug, and would only add, that you feed her heavily. This seems to be a very important trigger to get her in condition.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Thanks, Jorge. She's already pretty fat, tho I haven't been feeding her heavily. By the way, I tried your 'slap them around' method of trying to get some baby corns to eat. One just tried to get away and was pretty placid about the whole thing. I tried and tried to get it mad. No dice. The other finally got pissed, started buzzing its tail and snaked its neck like it was going to strike, but never would. I was patient and tried for a long time. Do I keep trying?
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

Amy, What you REALLY want to do is hold the snake loosely just behind the head/neck and do it. This way their head is RIGHT THERE getting annoyed by the slapping and they can't get away,.. which is the whole idea that gets them worked up actually. Then when it grabs it and start chewing it down you can VERY GRADUALLY loosen your grip and they usually don't notice if you move very, VEEERRRY slowly afterwards...LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Thanks, Doug. That's what I did. I watched Jorge's video and did it that way.
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

Amy my new secret weapon is Skinks! It's really not new nor is it a secret, but sometimes we forget what has been tried and true! I used skinks to feed Scarlet Kings years ago! They would never refuse a skink. I had been trying to scent my pinks with Anoles with some success, but when I tried Skinks they literally attack the pinky! At least the ones i have do. I just checked on an Amel Miami that was in a deli cup for several hours with a live pinky, and nothing. I took my only living skink and pressed on it's tummy just enough to get some secretion from the cloaca and I smeared that on the pinky. The snake attacked the pinky right before my eyes! Split Braining the pinks also works a good bit of the time. Good luck Amy!
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Darn it, I knew I should have kept some of those little skink babies!

I haven't done the braining thing yet. Tonight I'll place them in deli cups with a pink. Who knows?
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

Yeah the skinks work so well for me, that I want to raise a small colony of them, so that I always have some on hand. I have a dead one in the freezer I've been using, but I don't know how long it will be good for scenting? I've commissioned my nephew to catch as many as he can for me, and I'll pay him with fuzzies for his snake, lol.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

I could have sent you a small colony. I just released 17 hatchlings. Oh, well.
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

I saw the pics! They were so cute.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Mealworms, for my son's Bearded Dragon. They are super easy to breed. Though they don't make a good food source alone, it's always nice to know if I can't get crickets right away I always have mealies on hand. The Dragon also eats pellets and veggies so it's good.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

My leopard gecko eats mealworms, but not enough to breed them. Plus, I think they're yucky! But not as yucky as crickets.
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

Boy, if that isn't what's known as.. "a day late, and a dollar short" I don't know WHAT IS!..LMAO!!..

That's great news for the little skinks I guess though..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Yeah, my son kept saying we should keep a few.....
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

palpate for eggs/ovum very ez to feel for. if your goal is to breed your snakes you should bond them, then you dont have to worry about timelines and windows, simply collect eggs.
listen to your snakes and they will tell you all they want and need.
good luck
,,,,,,,,,,,,thomas davis
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Morphs... just like baseball cards BUT ALIVE, how cool is that???

my website www.barmollysplace.com

Thanks, Thomas. I palpated her today. Don't feel anything at all. Eggs, I mean.

I'm not getting into that bonding argument..........
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

I'm not getting into that bonding argument..........
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Amy Claiborne

no arguement here, simply a suggestion amy, its sad you feel its an "arguement". as i have several bonded pairs that stay together year around, as do many many other experienced keepers and we dont worry about timelines or windows we simply collect eggs. if you choose not to bond them then thats great to whatever works for you, it was simply a suggestion, as its proven VERY successfull for myself and others thats all. no more no less.
as per your palpate have you upped her feeding? imho its body fat/mass that triggers ovulation in female snakes, ovulations occur roughly 10days before and 10 days after a shed cycle, so you have around a 20 day window, prior, during, and after ovulation events females are usually ravenous much more so than "usual" so good record keeping will plainly show this. behavior between the 2 will tell you alot as well, obviously tail slapping, musking etc is a sign, now so is coiled calmly together its our jobs to figure out these signs or we provide conditions to ALLOW them to do what they are designed to do
good luck

,,,,,,,thomas davis
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Morphs... just like baseball cards BUT ALIVE, how cool is that???

my website www.barmollysplace.com

Thanks, Thomas. She has plenty of body fat. Quite chubby, actually. She's been through the feeding, shedding, breeding, shedding cycle all within the same time parameters as last year, but no eggs. I'll will try again and see what happens.
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.