Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My male and female trinket snakes mated in early May, and the female laid her first clutch in mid June, a clutch of four eggs of which two were good and hatched. I went to change her water and spot clean her tank tonight and was very surprised and yes, a little taken aback to find six healthy, beautiful eggs in her humid hide! It's lucky I still had the hide in there - I use it for her shed cycles - and the eggs were lovely and plump under the slightly damp moss. I think they were laid yesterday, but they definitely weren't there three nights ago. Now the incubator has been dragged out again and they're in there at around 83.

I'd considered the fact that she might double clutch or more because I've read that trinkets lay several clutches a year and don't always need to mate again - she hasn't - but thought it might happen earlier, around when her babies hatched at the end of August. Another difference from corns!

Well I thought I was done with feeding stubborn hatchlings this year, but it looks as if I might have some Christmas ones! I'm very proud of my girl and her eggs anyway. She ate two small mice today, so that was great too.

I'd keep that incubator handy at all times now.

You may always have helena eggs cooking if things go well with your adults.

Congrats!

You're right! Luckily I still had it sitting in the snake room, so all I had to do was plug it in. I wonder how many more clutches she can produce without mating again...

Congrats on the clutch! Bigger and they all look better than the first.

Did your corns lay seconds on the same day the first clutchs hatched? Both of my pueblans did that, it was very interesting. I'd say they are more prolific than helena, though. I would expect helena clutches to be farther apart, but they can lay during the period of hibernation for corns.

Keep us updated!
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

That's interesting about your pueblans being more prolific. Did you try to double clutch her or did she just do it anyway? I've only bred one female corn two years running, with different males - and only her and the helena in all - so I can't say my experience is massive, but the female corn hasn't double clutched either year (but I didn't let her mate again). I've just heard about the second clutch being laid around the time the first hatches in corns. The corn did lay very good clutches though - 10/10 hatched the first year, and this year she laid 18 1 slug and 18 hatched.

What size clutches do you get from your pueblans? They are such pretty snakes - do you have any pictures?

I had clutches of 8 & 6 and then 6 & 5. The last clutch of 5 hatched yesterday and was the first to have a stillborn, so 24 of 25 hatched. I tried to double them, but I hear they can throw second clutches without mating again. I've also heard they can lay viable eggs from previous year's sperm, I was hoping for this with my honduran as her mate died right after I purchased them (she was proven) but no luck. She has a new mate for next season.

Here are some of the pueblans. I had one of the female w/eggs that I just deleted a few days ago. These are all from one clutch, I never took pics of any other clutches, not my camera:

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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Wow, they are so beautiful - chunky, healthy looking little things! I've been so lucky not to have a stillborn hatchling as I know they're common and it must be sad. Still you got a very good hatch rate. I love the little one with less red on it - it's beautiful and unusual. Are you keeping any of the babies? How are they to feed?

It's weird about the sperm retention - but with my corns I'm sure she didn't retain sperm because I got totally different hatchlings this year - normal and striped last year; and anery, anery stripe, snow and one beautiful little snow striped baby this year - I've kept the snow stripe.

It would be so fantastic to get a golden helena, but I don't suppose there's much chance that they're both carrying the gene for albinism!

Yeah, the low red is my favorite.

I'm not going to keep any as I'm short on room as it is. The pueblans were mostly to gain some experience as they are easy to breed. I prefer the looks of my tangerine hondurans. They are also much calmer. All the babies have been quick to feed on f/t pinks, unlike my cal kings which have taken some work. I hatched 24 of 25 pueblan eggs, 9 of 9 kings, and 5 of 8 pythons (those were due to incubating on perlite like colubrids, but pythons require elevation above the perlite, so the eggs on the bottom perished, that shall be corrected next year), so I'd say I did pretty good for my first year of breeding. Big shout out to hovabator too, I heard they don't work all that well but they worked good for me!

I've never seen albino helena. Personally, I prefer natural looks to snakes though.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

I know what you mean about space. Breeding is so addictive - I have one cali king, a high white yearling female, and can see myself getting her a mate and breeding them in a couple of years, and maybe getting some different rat snakes, or milksnakes, etc...

I agree about natural colors as a rule, which is one reason I like the helena - it would be something different to get an albino one though! My favorite corn is actually my classic yearling female - she's beautiful. The baby snows and amels are gorgeous, but I think a fully grown corn looks prettiest in the original version.

Personally not into corns, but okeetee locale is pretty cool. I prefer asian rats myself. Here's a shot of my red persian female:

Can't wait to breed her. I've been trying to reach a guy who has her mate but can't seem to get through.

Back on topic, how are the young hatchlings doing from the first clutch?
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Funny, I was going to say in my original post that I saw a Persian rat in a local reptile store and liked it very much - but then I mentioned this on the board before, I think, and it may even have been you who answered and posted a picture of yours - certainly someone then posted a picture! She is a beautiful snake. Is she easy to feed, calm, etc?

You mean the trinket hatchlings? I got only two as you know - one of them I sold to the reptile store when it was a month old as I have too many snakes, and it hadn't eaten yet. They're going to try to get it eating and let me know if it does. The other one is the total opposite, ate the first time a pinky was offered and has only refused once, the other day, because I think it's about to shed for the second time. It's doing well and is a gorgeous little snake - very gentle and sweet.

Didn't know you sold one. Good job on getting the other to eat.

The persian is easy to feed, but is rather bold. She is flightly and can be quick to bite, but they are so small that it is like nothing. Very quick though. I can handle her but if she sees any other movement she will strike and flee. I'm told they calm down as they age.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

That's good she eats well. I'm amazed at the different temperaments of my snakes - some are so shy, others extremely bold. My female anery corn is very confident and has a huge appetite. She managed to bite me once, after she laid her 19 eggs. I'd tried to feed her soon after she finished laying and she wasn't interested (the only time in the two years I've had her that she's ever refused food), so I tried again about twelve hours later expecting her to be still a bit lethargic, but no she wasn't - she grabbed the fuzzy out of my hand, catching me with her sharp little teeth! I've never had a snake hang on and attempt to swallow my hand though - that must be a bit disconcerting. My few bites have mostly either been nips at feeding time due to my carelessness, or babies going mad!

Mine too. I had a python grab ahold of my thumb once, that was not fun. He smelled a box of rats on the floor and then saw my thumb move. The blues I used to have would bite anytime, but they never actually got me. Once, I was hit by a bluff I think, closed mouth, that or she missed. Scary to watch a fast moving 11 ft snake strike at you though.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Yes, it must be! Whereabouts do you live by the way? Do you go looking for snakes in the wild? I live in the UK and from around now till about March all the snakes are hibernating - grass snakes, adders and smooth snakes (we only have three species). We'll have to wait till spring now to look for adders properly again and photograph them. At least you can still watch birds in the winter, because here there are no reptiles to be seen all winter. It was nice last January to spend two weeks in Florida - plenty of reptiles to see including alligators!

I'm in california, and they are hibernating here too. We've had some good success before and post in the field notes section here with our findings, so you should be able to find many pics of mine by searching archives.

Grass snakes are one I'm looking to get! There aren't many natrix over here, not sure why. I did find a guy with them though and I hope to work with those soon, such cool little snakes.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Yes, I guess it depends on the species, but we went to southern California in February 2005 hoping there'd be some snakes around, it being as warm as an average British summer day a lot of the time, but they weren't - British snakes just have to be tougher I guess! Adders come out when it's still really quite cool, less than 60 degrees. Natrix emerge a little later. Of course it depends if they can bask as well, but we saw adders this spring on pretty cool overcast, even rainy days.

I'll have a look for some of your photos - I haven't looked at the field notes section yet.

We hunt on roads when its upper 60s lower 70s in the early evening. I've never been out in Feb, but have found some in March on occasion. Best time where I'm at is Apr-May, but we are at a higher altitude so its quite cooler at night for longer into the year than other popular spots like whitewater.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Whereabouts are you in California?

Well it's a nice autumn day today and we might see if we can find some adders - we know where they have a hibernaculum from last year, in a forest quite near us. It would be great to see one before they hibernate.

I rather like Vipera, interesting genus that I don't see too often.

Southern California, in the desert about 3000 ft above sea level. Huge temp differences between day and night and between seasons, 110F summers and snow in the winter.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Fantastic place to live. We visit the States a lot, and love Arizona particularly - we were there last month and saw our first western diamondback in the wild, so that was amazing. I never thought I'd manage to find one.

No snakes today anyway - I think we'll have to wait for next spring. It was a good day, low 60s and sunny, but they were still hiding.

Have you bred any live bearing snakes? I think that must be fascinating. Knowing me I'd miss the whole process - at least eggs hatch gradually!

I have yet to breed live-bearing snakes, but I'm about to cycle and breed my boas for the first time. Should be interesting. I don't expect to see partuition, I hear its usually overnight. Should be interesting.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Definitely - look forward to hearing about that. Are these common boas? You'll breed them in the spring?

They are actually Honduran dwarf bci. I've posted them in boa forum, and the litter will certainly be posted next summer. Boas are winter breeders, cooled but not hibernated like colubrids.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

I had a quick look in the boas forum and didn't see them, but maybe didn't look down far enough. Anyway best of luck with that and I'll keep an eye out over the coming months...

Its been a while, you would have to search forums.

As for babies, not expecting until late spring or early summer.

Preview pic of hondo:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/metalpest/nickboa.jpg
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Beautiful snake - lovely pattern. I don't really know anything about different boa types - stating the obvious, they're so big compared to the snakes I have! - even dwarf boas, it would seem. It will be very interesting to compare breeding with that of colubrids, I would think. I've seen pictures in books of litters of newborn boas, but the real thing must be amazing.

Well, having said that I guess rubber boas and rosy boas are small! I couldn't really find much on the internet about Honduran dwarf boas - are they the same as Honduran fire belly boas? When I have time I will look properly in a book - this was just a Google search.

Actually, these boas are much smaller than the blue beauties I used to have. They are about the same thickness, but 1/3 as long. I thought helena got pretty big too, how big are yours? My pines are also about to outgrow them. They are such a managable size. Tarahumara boas only get about 3 ft., they are so small, and have a cool pattern. Mine will reach about 5 ft, not much bigger than the one in the pic.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Helena don't get very big - females get to 46-50 inches, and males to 36-39 inches. I haven't measured mine but the female is something over 3 feet, and the male less - maybe just under 3 feet. I also have a smaller, rather thin trinket which is a 2004 hatchling and sold as female, but is what you might call a runt. That sounds cruel because she's a lovely, gentle snake and I like her a lot - but she goes off her food for long periods. At the moment she's eating ok but she's undersized for her age, around two feet. On the other hand she's perfectly strong, lively and healthy, so perhaps runt is the wrong word! I'm not absolutely sure she's female but she appears to be by tail shape. Then of course I have the hatchling, which is a lovely little snake, had its second shed and ate the other day, and unsexed as yet.

I always thought helena was related to beauties, and thus similar in size.

I'm sure there's nothing wrong with your slow grower, she will make it to adult size eventually!
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

It's funny how the different rat snake species can be such different sizes. I'm sure you're right about my little helena - she's just naturally small and slim but very healthy and lively. So how many snakes do you have altogether? By the way, one thing I've been wondering is is there any way of looking at people's profiles on this site, like on other sites? You put your details in but then don't seem to be able to read anyone else's. It would be interesting to read a bit about the people posting.

I have something like 20 snakes. I think 19, but I'd have to do a recount, and I have two persians coming this week. Right now I have closer to 60, due to the 37 babies we produced. Also a few leopard geckos and a white line gecko in the collection.

I'm not sure how to read profiles, but I'm pretty sure I've done it before. I'm sure you could ask a moderator or something.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

I didn't know what a white line gecko looked like, but have just looked it up and it's a very pretty little thing. We saw some lovely geckos on walls in Tucson, Arizona last month, but I can't post one without putting it in the gallery and therefore having to know what it is! I'll try to find out from a book and then post it. Lovely pinky white spotted little things.

I did send a message to the moderator when I first joined in June this year about the profile thing, but didn't get a reply. It's not important though. In some ways I find this site less user friendly than others, but I like the fact that people on it seem to know more and be more mature than on some other reptile sites I've visited!

Should be banded geckos. Cool little things.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

I wonder if it's a Mediterranean gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) - that's what it most resembles in our book (National Audubon Society field guide to reptiles and amphibians, bought in the US). Here it is.

I know those were introduced in the east, didn't know they were in Arizona too. I used to catch those in Texas, cool little geckos.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Yes, our book says they were introduced to Florida and Louisiana and had spread - they didn't mention Arizona, but I thought that's what it was. You did well to catch them - they're pretty quick!

>>By the way, one thing I've been wondering is is there any way of looking at people's profiles on this site, like on other sites? You put your details in but then don't seem to be able to read anyone else's. It would be interesting to read a bit about the people posting.

It's a bit awkward to get to a person's profile as they are based on the registration system for the photo gallery. Hopefully in the future they can integrate the profiles with the forums too.

Go to the Photo Gallery. Scroll down to the search box near the bottom of the page. Copy/Paste the username you want to search into the box (username has to be exact or it won't be able to find that name). Make sure to check the button that says Username. Click search.

If you get no results (ie, you don't see a page with photos uploaded by that user), click on the link in the upper part of the box that says "Search all catagories"

If you still don't get any results on the page, then it means the user has not uploaded any photos and at this time you can't access their profile.

If you DO get a results page showing that person's photos in the gallery, then click on their username shown in one of the photos. That will take you to their profile.
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PHWyvern

Thank you very much - I'll try that later.

Thanks again for your helpful description of how to view profiles - it worked!

I just bred my helena's a few months ago, but i got 14 eggs! )