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I'm hoping for a litter from a young virgin female bred to a proven male. All the activity has stopped now and my fingers are crossed for a small healthy litter. I can honestly say that I'm doubtful she'll produce anything...except for maybe some plump slugs. I observed half a dozen copulations, but it was nothing like what I experienced when my other female had nice litters. Everything was different this year, I tried a young unproven female so I realize the pattern would be new, but even the male was way off from the way he acted in the last 2 seasons. Lots of variables involved this go around, I just have to wait and see what happens.

I wish you all the best! (and a self-serving good wish for Jeff's PRB's!)

Linda

Linda,
...So far I have seen 6 females being bred. There were hopefully many more unobserved matings. Good luck to everyone breeding Rainbows.
Jeff

>>I'm hoping for a litter from a young virgin female bred to a proven male. All the activity has stopped now and my fingers are crossed for a small healthy litter. I can honestly say that I'm doubtful she'll produce anything...except for maybe some plump slugs. I observed half a dozen copulations, but it was nothing like what I experienced when my other female had nice litters. Everything was different this year, I tried a young unproven female so I realize the pattern would be new, but even the male was way off from the way he acted in the last 2 seasons. Lots of variables involved this go around, I just have to wait and see what happens.
>>
>>I wish you all the best! (and a self-serving good wish for Jeff's PRB's!)
>>
>>Linda

Someone else must be be hoping....???

Hey Linda,
Last year I tried to illicit breeding behavior by stepping the temps down and trying to duplicate the conditions from the one successful year of breeding. The female ovulated on schedule but the male did'nt get interested until after I introduced the two offspring I held back. That breeding occured well after she had ovulated and nothing came of it. This year I've decided not to cool them down and to see what happens with just the slight temp. drops from the winter season and the decreased photo period. This would be the one year that I sort of don't want anything to occur as this summer I'm getting married (she is Hindu and these ceremonies are quite the affair) and looking at a pretty long trip to India for our honeymoon (of course if something did happen I would'nt moan and groan). But my female is behaving strangely. She has been holed up in my 'stump' feature for a solid month now without poking her head out or anything. Her temperatures have been between 83-86. This is the same spot she occupied in 2002 when she was pregnant and is acting the same way. There has been no observed mating this year. I do wonder whether she could have retained sperm from last March when they did mate for a full week.
I've been thinking alot about how we stimulate these snakes to breed and because my goal really is'nt to produce babies I'm not sure if I'll be cooling them down again. Whatever triggers the breeding process in the areas these snakes evolved is probably barometric pressure changes, rainfall patterns or some other stimuli that escapes me. I'm pretty sure extended periods of temps in the 60's is not it (though obviously effective nonetheless). Of course looking into your enclosure and seeing babies climbing all over is a thrill and one that I know I'll want to experience again. The experiment here continues....
Paul

Don't want you all to think there's some wierd stuff going on here!

>>Don't want you all to think there's some wierd stuff going on here!
>>