Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

Just a question for anyone that has bred or kept tiger Eyelash Vipers.

I have heard from another breeder that his Tiger phase Eyelash Vipers will ONLY breed to another Tiger pahse Eyelash Viper.

Here is my question...I have 10 adult Eyelash Vipers(6 males, 4 females) and one of the males is a yellow Tiger phase male. Each year I only house him with the females(not tiger phase) during March and April for the breeding season. Every year he ends up getting bitten in the head by the females. He has been bitten at least 5 times, and always recovers. He is the only tiger phase Eyelash I have, and he is the only one that gets bitten by the other snakes.

Do you think that it could be true that the Tiger phase are different in some way, and should only be paired with another tiger phase for breeding? I really can't imaging that the other snakes know that he is different, but why does only he get bitten, and not any of the other males?

Thanks!

Howdyo

That's not true from what I have learned from the eyelash breeders I have talked to extensively. They will breed a tiger to a green animal and get 50% greens, 25% hets, and 25% tigers, or something like that. I'm not trying to act like I know a lot about the genetics involved here, just proclaiming that it is not true that tigers will breed only to other tigers. I know that is false. I think it is coincidence that your male keeps getting tagged and I have had similar circumstances here. One of my male A. suqamigera got bloody a couple of years in a row and I was ready to write him off until he proved his mark a year later. I found a female that was receptive to him and they were like peas and carrots and I got some good babies from them. Just keep trying, remembering that they are the same species and you have to find a pair that likes each other. Don't make it TOO difficult. It sounds like you have a good breeding group. Best of luck.

Derek Morgan