I have been breeding, or trying to breed, knobs for about 5 years now.I have had luck finally, but it seemed to take a number of years for them to get sexually mature.At least that was my take on things, as I bred other species @ 2 years of age.
I have had a few escapees, as all snake breeders have.One escaped sometime in early 2010, though I never recorded the date as I suspected I would recapture the snake shortly. I didn't.I eventually gave up on finding this snake and forgot about her.
Fast forward to the summer of 2011.My neighbor found this snake in her woodpile! It had been gone the better part of 2 summers, and had obviously hibernated successfully.2 weeks or so after being found, this snake laid 4 eggs.I assumed they were plugs, but they looked OK, so I put them in the incubator.They hatched yesterday!healthy knobs all around.
There are no indigenous mountain kingsnakes where I live.She had been with males before her escape, but not this year!!
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a knoblochi story-must read!
Replies (6)
Pathenogentic reproduction is known and published in kingsnakes(Gordon Shuette) Congrats.
>>Pathenogentic reproduction is known and published in kingsnakes(Gordon Shuette) Congrats.
I was thinking parthenogenesis too, but some will say sperm retention which has never been confirmed in lampropeltis........
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...
I would be quicker to believe sperm retention. I wounder if he had any males escape before?
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra
My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com
The question of parthenogenesis could be settled if the DNA of the female were compared to any of her offspring. They would be virtually identical since no paternal genes would be in the mix. Probably too expensive though. Nice story - thanks for sharing!
So the way to succeed with breeding knobs is just put them out in the wood pile? LOL!
Awesome story; congratulations!
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.
that friggin crazy!! Cool Story! I don't even know what to think about the fertile eggs.
