Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone have any guidelines as to what temps you take them down to, how long to brumate, etc? I have a pair of Taiwan Beauties and I've only ever brumated North American rats and milks before. thanks for any help!!

to your message in hopes that one of the beauty snake keepers would jump in. But so far no go. I'll check Shulz for brumation info on frisei when I get home tonight.

For starters the beauty snakes are semi-tropical. Brumation isn't anything like the low temperatures required for higher latitude creatures like fox snakes and such. Unless you're breeding them next spring I don't think it's even necessary. But I'll have more concrete information for you tonight.

Regards
John

>>Anyone have any guidelines as to what temps you take them down to, how long to brumate, etc? I have a pair of Taiwan Beauties and I've only ever brumated North American rats and milks before. thanks for any help!!

Thanks John,

I appreciate any info. They are at normal temps right now til I find out what they need. I actually was planning to breed them next spring (first attempt with asian rats), otherwise I wouldn't bother. Thanks for any help!

Andrea

Andrea:
Schulz states "a hibernation period of 2 to 4 months at a temperature of 50 to 59 deg F is recommended...although breeding was also successful without such period". "Hatchlings... emerge from the eggs after 55 to 77 (rarely up to 88 days) at an incubation temperature of 77 to 84 deg F".

This info comes from the taeniura chapter in Shulz' book, A Monograph of the Colubrid Snakes of the Genus Elaphe Fitzinger. I actually don't work with that species. I highly recommend you check with one of the breeders of frisei. I think there are several on this forum. Maybe try your question again on the main ratsnake forum and hopefully one of them will chime in.
Best regards
John

Thanks John, will do. That seems awfully chilly to me - I don't even take my corns down that cold. I'll post it back in the main forums.

Andrea

When I used to breed Taiwan beauty snakes, I brumated them for three months at about 55-60 degrees with 100% of the eggs being big and healthy.

There were two winters that I just kept them seperate during the three month period at room temp (about 69 degrees). They still bred and produced eggs, however each clutch had about two bad eggs.

Thanks Thomas - the lowest I can get them is around 60 degrees - just wanted to make sure that it is safe to take them down that low. Appreciate it!

Andrea

We have taiwans and blue beauties that we bred for the first time this year. the taiwans were not cooled and were shipped cross country while breeding. with in 8 hours after being unpacked they were breeding again. 15 small eggs compared to blue eggs we incubated our asians at 84 took 67 days with 100% hatch and no slugs, on the other hand we cooled our blues to 65 with a day flux of 70 didnt feed only water and hides kept them down for 90 days on the nose warmed them up over the next few days and started pouring food to them. had 11,2.5 inch eggs reminded me of my bull and pine eggs had 100% hatch no slugs at 84 for 62 days had to assit one snake from egg but was fine. right now they have not had a bite to eat in two weeks and have been having cooler nights will have them at 65,70 next week and wont brother them but a peak now and then always have water for drinking. hope this helps. remember this is a melting pot mix it up and find what works for you.
-----
William and JD
Tegus for you

I've been breeding Beauty snakes for a few years and I treat them just like my new world rats. They drop to 55F or so for a minimum of two months and then right back up to room temp and start pounding the food into them. This year my Taiwans produced 17 eggs with 100% fertility.

Bryan

>>Anyone have any guidelines as to what temps you take them down to, how long to brumate, etc? I have a pair of Taiwan Beauties and I've only ever brumated North American rats and milks before. thanks for any help!!
-----
"America was designed to answer to no one but ourselves, but somewhere along the line we stopped asking questions."
-Bryan Cole

Its interesting to see all the different methods used.

A many years ago I stopped brumating, and just let the daylight changes, and slight night time temp drops handle it for me.

with this method, I have bred and had near perfect fertility with:
Variable kingsnakes
Cal kings
Bullsnakes
Emory rats
Ball pythons
Kenyan sand boas
Blue beauty snakes
Cave dwelling ratsnakes
Green bush ratsnakes
trinket snakes
texas ratsnakes
carpet pythons
macklotts pythons

BUT.... it did NOT work so well for Elaphe climacophora, they only bred for me with a 2-3 month formal brumation down into the high 50's and low 60's.

Why haven`t anyone entered the sex ratio and more info of the juveniles? Frisei can be brumated from 24-30*C or even less and more. BUT what is the status of the siblings? Do they eat(They should do ANY time)? What is their size? What sex? Are they without any skeleton problems?
Questions that should be asked............. or not?
Personally I have good results with 26.3*C during incubation. That gives large healthy animals and a nice sex ratio (for me)
Best wishes
Søe