Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone
I am due to pick up a trio of adult Bloods in a few weeks time. I am not sure if they have been brumated or not but I was wondering, if they haven't been brumated, what are the chances of them breeding for me this year? Will the clutch size be much smaller?
Sorry for my ignorance on this matter, but they will be my first bloods so I am not completely familiar with them as of yet.
Thanks
Sam

Hey,
One thing that will be necessary for the breeding trio, if such is the case that they are ready, is, they will have to be of appropriate size and age. With that said, I think you get the point. No blood should be bred prior to its third year of life. That is my opinion and the opinion of the greater majority of experienced blood breeders and keepers at large. Sexual maturity if you will, does not take place prior to the 3 year of life for females, and any attempts at breeding them younger than that could have disappointing results. Males can breed much younger and keepers have had good success rates breeding males just under 3 years of age (2-2 1/2 years old).

As for brumation (induced hibernation in captivity), the ideal scenerio for inducing breeding, is separation of the breeding pair or trio in this case. Males and females, should be placed in separate containers for an eight week period. However, there are conflicting arguments in this regard, as clutches have been produced successfully, where no brumation has taken place. I personally have a clutch right now about to hatch any day now, whose parents were not brumated at all, and have pairs where brumation has been implemented and where no viable egg's were produced. I think that the cooling period is an imperative part of the process, however, it doesn't always guarantee a successful outcome! The call is yours to make. It won't hurt to cool them, as it can only increase the likelihood, of a successful and viable clutch being produced, but not always necessary. There are some triggers that make for sperm production in males, and ova to be produced in females, where no brumation has taken place. Sometimes it is pure luck that the male is producing sperm right at the time the male is introduced to the female and that can go a long way toward a good year or not.

-Angel
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"Until we lose our self, there is no way of finding our self."
-Henry Miller.

Hi
Thanks for the information. In the future I was planning to brumate them but with me getting them at this time of year its a bit too late for me to do anything about it this season (isn't it??) As you said though, they may breed fine and produce viable eggs without it this yr so fingers crossed!
Thanks again for the info, it was very useful.
Sam
ps. thanks for the link

Hey,
I wouldn't say that it is too late, as my snakes bred back in August, not quite the breeding season here in NY, and they produced a viable clutch of eggs. So my point, don't give up that easy. Just give them some time to aclimate, and then introduce the pairs and see what comes of it. You might just get lucky.

Here in the US, the optimal time to start pairing snakes for breeding is the end of November to beginning of December, so if my pair were able to breed and produce for me in the heat of August, with only two known and observed copulations, I wouldn't put it past them. Anything is possible.

-Angel
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"Until we lose our self, there is no way of finding our self."
-Henry Miller.

n/p
Link:
Breeding information!

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"Until we lose our self, there is no way of finding our self."
-Henry Miller.

im not sure but you do bring up an interesting thought. maybe the girls ive been trying to mate with havent been brumated and thats why they always say no. not sure.......
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1.0.1 Redtail boa
0.1.1 blood python
1.0 dumeril boa
1.0 carpet python

Hey,
Cooling the adults, can increase your chances of your pairs producing viable clutches. However, like I said, I just had a female that was not brumated produce a viable clutch. So, it is a toss-up.
-Angel
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"Until we lose our self, there is no way of finding our self."
-Henry Miller.