Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I noticed you were keeping your good looking OK Bulls that look like the Normal version of Stillwater Hypo Bullsnakes together. At what age do you start keeping them together? Any concerns or problems?

Thanks,
Bob.


-----
"If people are only good because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." Albert Einstein.

Obviously not Dan, but I got my pair of Kingsvile x Stillwater bulls in July of 2009 at three month of age, and have kept them together from the beginning. The only thing that happened was they made babies in 2011, something I didn't expect as I thought they were too young. I kept them together until this spring, when I made a feeble attemtp to prevent more babies. Alas, I finally took pity on the poor horny male and pt them together this week for a few times to breed, but now have Zoey bunk with her daughter Rozy as Alfonzo tends to pester her more than she appreciates.

Alfonzo and Zoey in December of 2009.
-----
Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Butt in any time Pyro.

Appreciate the experience.

Do your animals ever get charged up and too much to handle after being out in those cages for some UV or do they largely maintain their regular personalities ?

I think about doing that...

-----
"If people are only good because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." Albert Einstein.

Butt in any time Pyro.

Appreciate the experience.

Do your animals ever get charged up and too much to handle after being out in those cages for some UV or do they largely maintain their regular personalities ?

I think about doing that...

This girl changed a bit after taking these pics on a nice day. Outside she started doing that "reverse gear" like the Stillwaters and Black Pines do. Sort of feeling for a way out backwards with her tail like it was a hand while the head stays still looking at me. Prior to this, inside the house, she did not do that. She seems a little more prone to quick movements now that she has had a brief exposure to Sunlight and Pine needles.

-----
"If people are only good because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." Albert Einstein.

They seem to relax after a day in the outdoor cages. I do provide hide boxes in the outdoor cages so they don't feel agoraphobic out in the open. This last week I put Alfonzo and Zoey tougher so they could mate ( felt so sorry for the old horndog!) and they enjoyed both the mating and the outdoor cage, which is a lot bigger than their indoor cages. The only trouble is Alfonzo will rub his snout on the wire after mating, as he wants to go find more females. So I have to watch him for that. I also put my giant Pacific female and my young bull female Rozy in the other outdoor cage, and they enjoy the fresh air and light as well. It does not jack them up, it relaxes them, just like a person having a nice day outdoors.
-----
Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Cool. Thanks.
-----
"If people are only good because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." Albert Einstein.

i didn't see this until just now. any holdbacks are kept separately but i keep the rest all together in a big rubbermaid until they are sold. i separate them at feeding time however to avoid certain chaos. i will no longer be holding anything back [unless something extrodinary comes out] as i have what i want now, nicely contrasted, very yellow ok bulls or as you like to say,'normal looking stillwaters. one thing about them i really like is the banding on their tails. it takes up nearly a third of their bodies & is quite yellow.

Nice bulls, Dan! This is such a great thread...

That is how I keep my baby pits, too; in a big 106 quart tub and feed them all separately in feeding jars. Then from tub to big cages as they increase in size.
Alfonzo and Zoey's 2011 clutch.

Alfonzo and Zoey's 2012 clutch.

Spitz and Sputz, 2011 and 2012, this morning. They have been together since last fall when I put them in the same brumation tub. They are close to the same size and get along very well.

Lorenzo and Zumbida's 2012 clutch.

The exception to the feeding in jars rule is with my little Pacifics. I had a couple of very timid feeders so just feed them all together and they are doing great.

Keeping babies or yearlings or adult females or mated pairs together is okay but I would never keep sexually mature males together, as they will not get along.

The other main thing is pits love to eat a lot and frequently, so I make sure everyone is satisfied.

-----
Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Very Cool Bob.
-----
"If people are only good because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." Albert Einstein.

nice looking clutches pyro, a lot of variance! speaking of babies, my breeding adults seem to be about a month behind their 'normal' schedule. we've had a really cool, almost cold spring here [philly] & although i re-introduced the adult pairs in march & they've been at it noisely ever since, nada, not even a pre-lay shed yet. is anyone else experienceing a 'delay' pattern? here's a pic of my adult pair of oklahoma bulls trying. my stills x crumbley's also seem to be behind schedule. that's nature i guess...

This spring has been dry and warm compared to last year, which was quite wet and chilly. The snakes are indoors and have the benefit of a heated cabin, so I am not sure how much the weather impacts their behavior.

2012 my bulls mated in early April 9 and so forth and in May 26 she had her pre-lay shed. She laid her clutch in mid June. The babies hatched August 18 to August 22.

2011 her babies hatched August 6 to August 7. That was the surprise first clutch as I didn't see them mate and didn't realize she was gravid until she got quite plump with eggs.

This year I had initially kept them apart to prevent more babies, finally relenting and allowing matings April 27-30. Just felt so sorry for the male, who went off feed in March and really wanted to breed desperately. His mate was quite hefty and in fine fettle coming out of brumation, so although I now will have more bullsnake babies I don't feel she will be harmed in any way by having a clutch this year.

These are my only adult bulls and I have not had them long enough to discern whether or not they are early or late. Because I kept them apart most of April I expect babies will arrive in September instead of August.

So this year looks to be a bumper crop of babies if all goes well, as everybody who was sexually mature has bred.

Last years' pits. The two funky little eggs are in the process of hatching first. Wont be long it will be time to fire up the incubators again!
-----
Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Forgot to mention my three adult pyros are gravid and one is already in her maternity tub and due to do her pre-lay shed any minute. Both gopher snakes also gravid. I am most grateful for the pre-lay shed; lets me know when to put the mamas in the maternity tubs.
-----
Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.