Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Gravid prasina picture from a couple hours ago. I palpated 5 eggs in this girl earlier today.

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Randy Whittington

Awesome! Best of luck!
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-Toby Brock
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

Congrats Randy. Do you ever leave any of your pairs together year round? Are they early breeders? I've often wondered if it would be ok to leave pairs of certain species together all the time, through winter cooling and everything. Only seperating them when being fed. I know species like coxi will sometimes breed in the middle of being cooled or begore their post brumation shed. What are your thoughts?
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Matt Kauffman

Although I have kept some together before, I don't personally keep pairs together year around now. I don't think it would be much of an issue if set up right (larger cages and multiple hides)and watched or seperated during feeding times. I don't know it for a fact but fear some species might be stressed by it though and I just choose not too.
I start pairing up various species including most ratsnake species as soon as they have their first meal or two after coming out of brumation. I used to wait until the females had a few meals or after their first post brumation shed but found that many species will become gravid right out of brumation. Once I start pairing them up, I keep pairs together, only seperating for feeding, until I'm confident I feel gravid eggs and not just unfertilized eggs. By starting to pair them up earlier in the season it has definatly increased having consistant fertile clutches year after year with different species.
I personally like knowing when to expect eggs.
As a general rule I don't try to double clutch my snakes but species such as trinkets, coxi and others will weather you want them to or not. I find that sometimes I miss those "off season" eggs until it's too late.

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Randy Whittington

Thanks for the info. Have you ever had coxi retain sperm through brumation and become gravid without being paired with a male the following season? Just asking because I haven't paired mine up(I don't know if I will), but the female is starting to look pretty heavy already.
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Matt Kauffman

I haven't personally had that happen but I wouldn't be suprised if it happened with coxi.
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Randy Whittington