Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I get asked that question all the time so for those wanting to know:

BRB breeding timeline based on my history over the last 5 years:

Mating starts as early as first introduction in Mid January for some pairings while others can ignore each other until as late as mid June.

Typical mating will last on average three weeks and can be as little as no (or one) observed matings to as long as two months going at it off and on.

After the last observed mating, ovulation will occur approximately two weeks later with POS just over two weeks after that.

More often than not the ovulation will not be obvious or happens at a time when you're not looking so often there will only be mating activity followed by a shed around 1 month later. That 1 month average span between mating and POS can range from 2 weeks to 2 1/2 months.

After the POS will come a long period of gestation. at 82 degrees my average is 117 days with a range from 106 to 129 days. I have observed that gestation at lower temperatures does take longer. two degrees lower adds 10 days to the average gestation.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

hi dave
my breeding experience this year exceeds the maximum of about 2.5 months:
intro about mid december(kept in outside heated terrariums in tel-aviv israel).on and off copulations right from the start during months eating separations.noticed ovulation on march 22
pos april 14 afterwitch she first refused a meal.
had breeding success the last 3 consecutive years(one male 2 females intermittently).
best of luck to all breeders
tal

Everyone always has to add in their opinion, so here is my 2 cents , I have been asked this question once or twice but the question I get most often is how long before “I” can breed my BRB’s.

I have heard that the minimum size that a female has to be to safely pass babies is 1500 grams. I have never tested this theory because 1500 grams is really small for a BRB. I like to wait a minimum of three years from birth to breeding size providing regular, contiguous feedings. I will wait until a female is as big as I think she is going to get before breeding her. This has been as much as 5 years or longer. Keeping in mind the bigger the female the bigger the clutch will likely be.

In addition to the time line that Dave has described I always increase the temperature 5 degrees during gestation.

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John Wiseman
www.rainbowsbydesign.com

18.30 BRBs (as of 6-20-2012)
3.8 others

Thanks,

I have found sperm plugs to be a unreliable indicator by themselves. Males will drop them even when with a female that has already had her POS. I've even seen males wrap on already ravid females. They smell a receptive female somewhere in the room and get all excited and go after anything in sight.

All these things, wraps, copulation, sperm plugs, sheds, feeding response, seeking out heat etc. are all indicators. The real picture comes together when you put them all together in a timeline. Just today I found three sheds from three different females. One I'm certain is a POS, a second I believe is a POS but will need to see how the next few weeks plays out and the third may be a POS but really won't know for sure until I have a couple more weeks of data. All determined by the preceding series of events for each of the three individual females.

Hmmm. looking at the data, I'd place number one (Ann) at 08/26 (maybe early) Number two (Jamie) also due 08/26 but likely late and Number three (Jamie if it is her POS) also due 08/26 and would say she could drop early.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats