Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am going to get about 15, ground snakes to start a breeding colony, anybody have any advice on breeding/ acclimating?

I've experienced that large breeding colonies only lead to stress and an eventual disease that often spreads to the other snakes in the colony. I would go 2.2 in each container to be safe and watch them closely as the ones I maintain bite each other due to mating and space, so it is gonna be a big issue after they adjust to captivity. And heck, if you can obtain that many, why then mess with a beeding colony? Actually just kidding but you may wish to see if you can breed a few and see how the babies grow on commercial crickets or else you may produce something which people cannot readily feed without risk of death to the snake from starvation.

I guess colony is a bad choice of words, I didn't meant that I would be keeping them altogether. Depending on what I get, 1.2 or 2.2 as you have suggested. I don't know what color phase I will be receiving so if I get mix I'll want to control breeding so I can determine which color phases are dominate and isolate the ones I like. My goal in breeding for my own research. These are a highly variable species, with many color phases and variations, so controlled breeding should produce some interesting results.

How have you made out with them since you got them, are they eating okay if so what and do you see them much, any problems keeping a few together?
Thanks

just vary the diet so they get good nutrition (crickets, mealworms, a few waxworms, dead centipedes etc). I used to bredd them both because I just love this species and to help feed my Az. corals. They do well communaly, keep a moist vermiculite filled cream cheese dish with a dime sized hole in the lid buried (drill a couple air holes in teh sides)with the top level to the sand in the cage. They are capable of double and triple clutching. When one container gets eggs remove it and tape a piece of thin cardboard over the hole and place it in a nice 80 F spot. Be sure to place another container in the cage for the next batch.

Glad to here that they breed readily, and will use a nesting box. What size enclosure did you use when breeding yours? I understand that they prefer centipedes, do you expect I'll have any problem getting them to take other types of prey? thanks for the advice.

Hey Rick,

I would keep 3-5 snakes in a ten gallon tank with scattered hiding places. I would usually mist under the hides every couple of days. In my experience they take centipedes readily until they have had a taste of crickets and mealworms. After that they usually won't takle a live centipede but will still take frozen thawed centipedes. I have never had any problems getting them to take crickets, mealworms and waxworms.

sounds good, thanks, I'll let you know know how I do with them.