Living Gems Breeding Plans 2018

[Snakesitter]

The Living Gems Reptiles breeding stable continues to grow in size and quality. In 2014, we had six pairings and 39 babies. In 2015, we had eight pairings and 64 babies. In 2016, we had nine groups (twelve girls) and 91 babies. This year, 2018, should be our largest yet with nine announced groups (thirteen girls).

After much consideration, this year’s final breeding groups were:
--Group 01: Ceasarion to Onyx and Sodalite (orange/dark red)
--Group 02: Ericthonius to Pyrope and R. Crystal (red/orange)
--Group 03: (pending)
--Group 04: Franklin to Jadeite (mixed orange with thick borders)
--Group 05: Harald to Lazuli and Sunstone (yellow)
--Group 06: Kilimanjaro to Malachite (mixed red)
--Group 07: Picasso to Peridot (two-shade orange)
--Group 08: Scarface to Aventurine (high orange)
--Group 09: Vulcan to Pearl and Spessartine (red)

Over the next few months, we will profile each of these groups for your viewing pleasure.

I will add links to each thread as it is posted in the “replies” area below.

Links
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[Snakesitter]

Welcome to Profile 01 of 11 for Living Gems’ 2018 breeding season. Our first group pairs Ceasarion with Onyx and Sodalite in search of high oranges and mixed reds.

Caesarion, a beautiful orange July 2010 male, traces from the famous (and now unfortunately rare) Tim Frazier bloodline. He is a proven Don Juan; one produced a whopping 19 babies from a female who had rejected three prior males, and the next another 20 babies. While he is treated as a normal, he does have a hidden het hypo gene, and is therefore a backup male for our hypo project. Here he is as of July 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1653/26041178291_5cc1d24332_z.jpg
As of his pre-breeding weigh-in, he measured 2246 grams.

The lovely Onyx is one of the most intense orange rainbows I have ever seen. Born in May 2008, her color was so intense, in fact, that even a color fade could not wipe it all out. She is repeat pairing with Caesarion; their last breeding, in 2015, produced 19 babies (she was also with him in 2017, but with no results). Here she is as of May 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1640/25067684529_b1f14f7ef1_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, she measured 2177 grams.

Sodalite, a September 2010 dark red female, was our first pickup of her color group. She was impressive enough that the breeder told me that she and a sister he was holding back may have been the best dark reds he ever produced. She has proven pt be a picky breeder, and has twice rejected prior males. We will see if Don Juan Ceasarion can finally charm the shed off her. ;-) Here she is as of September 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1476/25352473824_ed082d0767_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, she measured 2368 grams.

If you like what you see, and want first dibs at any babies, you can sign up for the LGR Wait List here <http://statictab.com/w5cjpkc>.

As always, thank you for reading.

[EL Ziggy]

Amazing critters Cliff!

[ClockwerkBonnet]

Kilimanjaro is a REALLY funny name for a snake. :yes:

[Jim Smith]

I have one of Cliffs beautiful snakes from his 2016 clutches and he is amazing! Super healthy, great eater and as I mentioned gets more beautiful with eat shed. Cliff is a great guy to do business with who really cares about his animals!

[Snakesitter]

Thank you Jim! Clockwork, Kilimanjaro and his brother Everest ere need in honor of their late father Hills (short for Sir Edmund Hilary). Thanks El Ziggy!

[craigafrechette]

Your animals look amazing, Cliff!

[Snakesitter]

Welcome to Profile 02 of 09 for Living Gems’ 2018 breeding season. Our second group pairs Ericthonius with Pyrope and Rock Crystal in search of high reds and oranges.

Ericthonius, an October 2010 male from a high red lineage, is one of the friendliest rainbows in our collection. He entered our breeding program late because he was a slow grower (he was one of the last litters from the lineage he came from, and I think the successive years of back-to-back breeding affected those babies’ growth). Here he is as of November 2015 (shyly hiding his head):
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1562/25266905279_583c602267_z.jpg
As of his pre-breeding weigh-in, Ericthonius measured 1587 grams.

Almandine was an incredible reddish orange female we lost during the move, and with her mate Scarface produced about 10-20% red and 80-90% orange babies, all high quality. Fortunately she was survived by two daughters, one of them a strong red holdback. This snake, Pyrope, a gorgeous July 2013 female, took her mother’s place in our lineup, and will hopefully give us a more even mix (or better!) of red and orange babies. Here she is as of January 2016:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/834/42721102975_88a8855e32_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, Pyrope measured 2433 grams.

Rock Crystal is a new light-colored LGR breeder we have been raising up for several years. Born in July 2012, last year marked her breeding debut. She looked gravid, but we never saw any babies, so we kept her with her mate for another year. Here’s to hoping Eric can work his magic. Here she is as of July 2015:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/844/42721102425_f509b3cb2c_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, Rock Crystal measured 2212 grams.

If you like what you see, and want first dibs at any babies, you can sign up for the LGR Wait List here <http://statictab.com/w5cjpkc>.

As always, thank you for reading.

[Snakesitter]

Thank you, Craig! This should be a good year for babies.

[ClockwerkBonnet]

Wow, I can see the rainbows on these snakes! XD Nice snakes, once again.

[Snakesitter]

Welcome to Profile 04 of 09 for Living Gems’ 2018 breeding season. Our fourth group is a repeat that pairs Franklin with Jadeite in search of both mixed orange and thick-border babies.

Franklin, a golden yellow/orange male of undetermined age, came to us as a proven breeder. He is one of the most patient animals we own, maybe because he is one of the “old men” of the collection, and never seems to stress about anything. He is also well known for his dramatic nighttime whitewalls, in which his sides lighten to a stunning white. For some reason, he always throws interesting litters: in 2013, he fathered giant babies; in 2014, he snuck in a few thick border babies; and in 2016, he produced a normal litter but with a surprisingly broad color range. Here he is as of November 2015 (showing whitewalls):
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1697/24745054683_be476896ba_z.jpg
As of his pre-breeding weigh-in, Franklin measured 1485 grams (on the light side for the old man).

Jadeite, a medium orange July 2010 female, is known for her thick dorsal borders. Jadeite is a charming lady known for making absolutely sure she has a death grip on some part of you to prevent a fall. I suspect she must have suffered an early accident before she came to us. That aside, she is a friendly, inquisitive snake. This will mark her third breeding season with us. Here she is as of July 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1626/25371772965_782600fbb6_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, Jadeite measured 2266 grams.

The first time this pair was together, they threw two surprise babies with abnormally thick dorsal borders. Here is one of one of those youngsters as of April 2015:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/395/18840157279_46d5ccf2fd_z.jpg

The second time they were together, color was the order of the day. Here is holdback 2016-C-03 as of December 2016:
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2824/34212871746_b40f8065f8_z.jpg

I am eager to see what a third round produces!

If you like what you see, and want first dibs at any babies, you can sign up for the LGR Wait List here http://statictab.com/w5cjpkc.

As always, thank you for reading.

[Snakesitter]

Thank you! More (and more) still to come!

[EL Ziggy]

You've got the magic touch with the BRBs there Cliff. I LOVE the high red animals. I'll admit I was a little nervous about their high humidity requirements and went with some other speoes with that are more forgiving of potential husbandry errors..

[Snakesitter]

There's always time to correct sins of the past, my friend. ;-) And we may just have something to announce soon.... Thank you!

[Snakesitter]

Welcome to Profile 05 of 09 for Living Gems’ 2018 breeding season. Our fifth group pairs Harald with Lazuli and Sunstone in search of the elusive yellow rainbow.

Harald is an Arctic Anery. For those unfamiliar, this is a lesser-known, but potentially superior, version of the dominant US anery gene. The US gene produces animals that brown out as adults. This gene, from Europe, produces animals that range between brown and yellow as adults. Harald was born in October 2012, but was a slow grower, and only reached breeding size this year. Here he is as of November 2015:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/837/42761792625_5512fe4268_z.jpg
As of his pre-breeding weigh-in, Harald measured 1274 grams.

Lazuli is also an October 2012 Arctic Anery. However, she comes from the yellow side of their gene pool. And unlike Harald, she grew fast and well, and would have been a breeder before now if not waiting for her mate. Here she is as of November 2015:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/918/43664667041_14946af2a6_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, Lazuli measured 2024 grams.

Sunstone is a September 2012 animal descended from Tim Frazier bloodlines. She is a big, friendly snake, but picky on food: she came to us insisting on live prey, and has rarely changed her mind since. She also prefers her meals on the small side. Here she is as of March 2016:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/861/43664665861_fc6f3b591d_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, Sunstone measured 1873 grams.

If you like what you see, and want first dibs at any babies, you can sign up for the LGR Wait List here <http://statictab.com/w5cjpkc>.

As always, thank you for reading.

[Snakesitter]

Welcome to Profile 06 of 09 for Living Gems’ 2018 breeding season. Our sixth group pairs Kilimanjaro with Malachite in search of mixed reds.

Kilimanjaro, a dark red male from our September 2011 Hills-Alexandrite pairing, was named after one of the tallest mountains in the world, in honor of his father, who was named after the famous mountaineer Sir Edmund Percival Hillary. The name also fit his baby personality, which was a bit on the volcanic side ;-)…though he has long since calmed down. Here he is as of January 2015:
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8668/16332603412_5d76ce424d_z.jpg
As of his pre-breeding weigh-in, he measured 2087 grams.

Malachite, a reddish July 2008 female, is skeptical of this whole human idea. While never hostile, she likes to be set down as soon as possible, and will crane for the nearest piece of furniture to try and grab on. Apparently “moving trees” are not her thing. Here she is, in shed, as of July 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1533/26041177041_7048e1e618_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, she measured 2583 grams.

If you like what you see, and want first dibs at any babies, you can sign up for the LGR Wait List here <http://statictab.com/w5cjpkc>.

As always, thank you for reading.

[Snakesitter]

Welcome to Profile 07 of 09 for Living Gems’ 2018 breeding season. Our seventh group pairs Picasso with Peridot in search of double orange babies.

Picasso, a unique dual-orange male of undetermined age, came to us as a proven breeder. On top of his unique color pattern, he is known for pairing a voracious appetite (he has missed me by inches more than once on feeding night as he lunges for dinner) with an anorexic build (this snake never looks fat). Here he is as of November 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1662/25490034723_51bbe9d0b9_z.jpg
As of his pre-breeding weigh-in, he measured 1967 grams.

Peridot, an August 2013 female, shares Picasso’s unusual dual orange color palette…which she should as his daughter (Malachite, from the prior breeding group, is her mother). While she got dad’s color, she got mom’s skepticism about handling (again, never hostile, just skeptical). She also thankfully got their love of food. ;-) Here she is as of February 2016:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/939/42987128524_a0cc6dd734_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, she measured 1976 grams.

If you like what you see, and want first dibs at any babies, you can sign up for the LGR Wait List here <http://statictab.com/w5cjpkc>.

As always, thank you for reading.

[Snakesitter]

Welcome to Profile 08 of 09 for Living Gems’ 2018 breeding season. Our eighth group pairs Scarface with Aventurine in search of high orange babies.

Scarface, a high orange July 2008 male, is one of our oldest snakes. He was named for both a favorite movie and a missing scale on his head when he came to us, now long healed. He is a bit standoffish with the ladies, except Almandine with whom he has fathered 46 babies. Here’s to hoping he can expand his genetic legacy this year. Here he is in a wonderful character shot as of July 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1530/25371780543_d3f5e8c092_z.jpg
As of his pre-breeding weigh-in, he measured 2210 grams.

Aventurine, a high orange September 2010 female, is one of our two bullseye girls. She is a picky feeder who prefers fresh-killed to frozen, and is not afraid to turn her snout at the latter. As a result, she took much longer than normal to hit breeding size. She makes up for it with generous color and those fabulous side markings. Here she is as of October 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1709/25879746592_34ed2a9233_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, she measured 2036 grams.

This is a repeat pairing, and their last litter from 2016 was stunning. Here is one of our holdbacks from that litter:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/862/42987129104_8ff981fa2f_z.jpg
As a repeat pairing, we have high hopes for another successful result.

If you like what you see, and want first dibs at any babies, you can sign up for the LGR Wait List here <http://statictab.com/w5cjpkc>.

As always, thank you for reading.

[Snakesitter]

Welcome to Profile 09 of 09 for Living Gems’ 2018 breeding season. Our ninth group pairs Vulcan with Pearl and Spessartine in search of reds.

Almandine was an incredible reddish orange female we lost during the move, and with her mate Scarface produced about 10-20% red and 80-90% orange babies, all high quality. Fortunately she was survived by a son. This snake, Vulcan – named for the god of fire and metalworking, not for the sci-fi character – was born in July 2013 and developed into a strong red holdback. He was a fast grower, and is friendly to a fault. Here he is as of January 2016:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/937/42987129844_b08fa04f29_z.jpg
As of his pre-breeding weigh-in, Vulcan measured 1749 grams.

Pearl, a July 2010 female, is sister to our overachieving breeder male Ceasarion, and has strong red in her lineage. She is a proven breeder who already produced a litter for us in November 2015. She is a het hypo, but this year we are using her for her normal genes. Here she is as basking her last litter as off October 2015:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/767/22807800121_f3614396f6_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, Pearl measured 2632 grams.

Spessartine, an August 2009 female from a high red lineage, is known as the “Ice Queen” at LGR due to the fact she has yet to find a suiter she likes: she rejected Prometheus in 2013, Prometheus again in 2014, DuVall in 2015, and Ericthonius in 2016. Thankfully, she has made good use of that time and her love of food: she is now our largest female by far, both in size and weight. Here she is as of October 2015:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1698/25541796181_47ab83eb3e_z.jpg
As of her pre-breeding weigh-in, Spessartine measured 3249 grams (yes, that is almost twice the size of her boyfriend -- you see that in boas all the time, but not in rainbows).

If you like what you see, and want first dibs at any babies, you can sign up for the LGR Wait List here <http://statictab.com/w5cjpkc>.

As always, thank you for reading.