Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This morning I introduce my 4 feet Black & White Desert Phase Stripe Cal Kings together hoping they would breed up. The female had just shed and the male breed another female last week. I thought they would have a little romance and maybe dinner later. I have had the trio since 1991 and they have breed for the past several years...Unfortunately the female got the order a little mixed up when I checked them shortly after noon time....

...years ago. I lost a four foot chain king male to a female only 3 inches longer. Sorry about your loss.

peace
terry

SORRY for your loss, If only we could figure out what was differant this time!
Take Care----Matt

I had it happen with a Florida eating one of my Cals - they were only two at the time but it was kinda the same thing...I stayed gone a minute or so too late and the Cal's head was already down; a bummer to say the least.

Sorry to hear it - makes you especially sick when it's two breeders.
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Peace.

-John

Man I'm so sorry. I worry about that every time I breed kings or milks. Did you try to pull him out?

Yes, I did end up separating them but it was too late. The female had already had him half way down. Unpredictible things happen when working with live animals. Years ago I had another female Cal try to eat it mate and caught it with the head in her mouth but I was able to separate them and the male was fine minus a couple teeth marks. Take care & God Bless...mike

Sorry for your loss, Mike.

And thanks for the warning to others.

This is a big concern of all of ours when we breed our kings. I have not had that happen, but have had some close calls. Usually, the female has been agressive right off the bat so I could seperate them immediately. I have a female thayeri that I have bred for the past 8 years without a problem, but this year she immediately attacks the male whenever I put them together. And I keep her very well fed. I have had the same thing with an Outer Banks king this year as well - she wants her mate for dinner every time that I put them together.Because of this, there are certain pairs of snakes that I will only breed when I am in the room for several hours cleaning, etc. so that I can keep a close eye on them.

I wonder about predictibility, though, even when leaving seemingly compatable snakes together. Has anyone ever had a snake eat its mate after a succesful breeding?

Bob Johnson

but w/any luck he "did the due" before being ate,i had the same thing happen a couple of years ago w/l.g.splendida,but was lucky in the fact that she laid a viable clutch in about a month and a half afterword, but sorry for your loss
thomas davis
T&S reptile farm

Sorry about the loss....but maybe she's a "Black Widow". There still might be babies.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

The reason I ask is because I got a call several years ago about a snake in someone's back yard. They already had it contained and told me it ate something big. When I arrived, I found an Eastern King full up to it's head. On the way home, the king regurged a Black Racer that was still alive! I kept both for a couple of weeks, fed them, and released them both in the same area they were found. Anyway, you may have tried to get your female to regurge just to see.

That's terrible Mike. Sorry to hear. A keeper's nightmare for sure.
I obtained 1.3 Cals because one of the females ate the albino male in a guy's collection. He called me and said "come get these damn things!" So I did. She still has to be watched VERY carefully each year, and I must make sure she's just finished shedding and has had a good meal. Still- she'd eat a tire if I put it in with her!
You can hope they had their fun before her expensive dinner, I guess.
:Mark