Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know it's not necessary, but I was just wondering if anyone here has tried breeding w/o cooling. Cooling just doesn't seem to be feasible for me, and I'm thinking I might like to try breeding next year.

I've gotten tips from others on another forum and thought I'd see if anyone here has any advice to offer. Basically I've been told to just not change anything (temp, housing and feeding wise) and just put them together in March/April after the female sheds. Most said they put them together for about 3 mating attempts.

I was wondering, should the male also shed first before putting them together?

How long should they be put together for each attempt?

How long between attempts?

Does there seem to be any difference with regards to clutch size, hatchling health, success rate, etc when going with the non-cooling method?

Any tips/advice would be appreciated!
Thanks!
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1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Bredl's Carpet Python "Strider"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"
0.1 Okeetee Corn snake "Amazon"
1.0 Crested Gecko "Willow"
0.1 Irian Jaya BlueTongued Skink "Phoebe"
0.1 Indonesian BlueTongued Skink "Piper"
0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer "Kira"

>>I know it's not necessary, but I was just wondering if anyone here has tried breeding w/o cooling. Cooling just doesn't seem to be feasible for me, and I'm thinking I might like to try breeding next year.
>>
>>I've gotten tips from others on another forum and thought I'd see if anyone here has any advice to offer. Basically I've been told to just not change anything (temp, housing and feeding wise) and just put them together in March/April after the female sheds. Most said they put them together for about 3 mating attempts.
>>
>>I was wondering, should the male also shed first before putting them together?
>>
>>How long should they be put together for each attempt?
>>
>>How long between attempts?
>>
>>Does there seem to be any difference with regards to clutch size, hatchling health, success rate, etc when going with the non-cooling method?
>>
>>Any tips/advice would be appreciated!
>>Thanks!
>>-----

I had one brumated and two non-brumated females lay last season.
brumated creamsicle: laid 20 eggs: 16 healthy hatchlings
non-brumated snow: laid 14 eggs: 11 hatchlings
non-brumated creamsicle: laid 9 eggs: 7 hatchlings.

so not much difference in success rates.
The clutch size for the second creamsicle was due more to her size then the fact that she wasn't brumated.

I tried to wait until the male and female had both shed when I put them together.
I was lucky. They hooked up almost immediately after being put together so I didn't have to worry about how many times to put them together.
If you don't see them hook up leave them together over night.
Put them in a container with paper towels.
This way you should be able to see the "stains" if they hooked up.
If there are no signs the next morning separate them for a few days or a week and try again.
As far as how long to leave them together and how long to leave them apart.....this is just my opinion or idea. May or may not be the norm. Just seems practical.

One other note...my females more or less gave me a sign that helped me decied when to place them with the males.
They got very very restless. Around and around the tank they went.
For snakes that usually spend about 24/7 in hiding it is quite obvious to see them out and roaming day and night.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

Thanks! One other question for now - what is the minimum recommended breeding size and age for males and females?
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1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Bredl's Carpet Python "Strider"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"
0.1 Okeetee Corn snake "Amazon"
1.0 Crested Gecko "Willow"
0.1 Irian Jaya BlueTongued Skink "Phoebe"
0.1 Indonesian BlueTongued Skink "Piper"
0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer "Kira"

>>Thanks! One other question for now - what is the minimum recommended breeding size and age for males and females?
>>-----

well, the recommended is 300 grams for females and 250 grams for males.
This is what I have read several times.
I do not weigh my snakes so..I go more by age and size.
I personally wouldn't breed any snake under two years of age.
If you have a snake that was born in June or July of 2003 that snake would be 34 or 35 months old. Over 2 1/2 years. I think a snake that old that is over 36 inches with a proportionately full body would be large enough/old enough to breed now.
That is more or less my personal formula. Over 2 1/2 years old and over 36 inches with full body. Not a skinny 36 but a full bodied 36.
Once again just my opinions. Some may disagree or have stricter guidlines but I think I'm pretty much in the midlle ground on this.

This girl is one of the ones I bred last year without brumating.
She is my last to lay this season. She should lay tonight or tomorrow.

this is the only one of her babies I ended up keeping from last season

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

Gorgeous! Thanks for your help.
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1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Bredl's Carpet Python "Strider"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"
0.1 Okeetee Corn snake "Amazon"
1.0 Crested Gecko "Willow"
0.1 Irian Jaya BlueTongued Skink "Phoebe"
0.1 Indonesian BlueTongued Skink "Piper"
0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer "Kira"

...I keep checking this forum from time to time…

I’ve bred my corn snake without brumation for the past three years. I live in the Middle East and it’s difficult to cool the snakes since temperatures remain quit high throughout the year. She always lays a first clutch of the year of 20 or more eggs, not more then 1-2 slugs. She also double clutched for two years. I’ve always places her together with different males each year and during different months each spring. This is her fourth year without cooling, but her mate is much smaller Miami corn. I’ve placed them together twice, never seen them mating, although they do chose to lie together . We’ll see what happens.

This year I’ve largely expanded my collection and I’m planning to brumate with the help of ac towards the end of this year to see if there will be any changes.

Hope this helps a little bit.

Natalia

Thank you! When they double clutch is this because after laying the first clutch you put them back with a male again? If so, how long after the first clutch do you do this?
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1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Bredl's Carpet Python "Strider"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"
0.1 Okeetee Corn snake "Amazon"
1.0 Crested Gecko "Willow"
0.1 Irian Jaya BlueTongued Skink "Phoebe"
0.1 Indonesian BlueTongued Skink "Piper"
0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer "Kira"

Yes, I place the female with the male again. Usually, right after a couple of meals, but only if she is in a good shape after the first clutch. She seemed a little tired the other year, so I let her rest and she didn’t double clutch. She is a fully grown adult.

Natalia

Hello-I''m a 1st time replyer..I don't do anything with temp with my pair. I live in NE IN, w/o ac, so whatever the summer temp is, minus cooling down at night and fans. In winter the thermo is set at 68 in the day, 60 at night. My pair are kept in the same tank at all times. They usually mate in late Apr/early May, she lays in June and eggs hatch in mid-late Aug. Clutch rates are from 9-27, about 75 eggs total with only 1!! not hatching in 4 years (the one this year, and 2 this year had little club tails...). I have them for teaching purposes, so the breeding is just a side issue for me...