If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[marisa]

This year I brumated all my colubrids for the first time. I wanted to get experience for it so I can have some kingsnake babies some year and I wanted to make sure my room got cool enough. It fluctuated between 50-65, although it only got too 65 a couple times for a few short hours, and 80% or more of the time it was right around 55.

Anyways last year without brumation I bred my snow corns together and had 19 first clutch with 100% fertility then with no second matings a double clutch of 13 duds and 1 fertile. Pretty good results I thought.

She just laid her first clutch of this year, (brumated year) and its shabby. 25 eggs, some fertile, some not fertile. Really crappy in comparision since half or more look highly suspicious at this point. The good news is, she looks outstanding, like it never happened. She kept much more weight on this year than last year and I think it has to do with the fact she has been eating small rats like a beast this year.

Both years had the same number of witnessed confirmed matings and a handful of maybe matings that I did not witness.

Obviously not enough to take results from as its only one pair, and it was both of the snakes first brumation.... but its definitly interesting.

Marisa

[Derrick]

ya my little buggers bred over a couple of days to my dismay this year. The only thing I did was that they were in a cold 15degC room but they still had a hot spot of 90. They spent the winter on in thier cold hides all on thier own and still fed regularly. I got 13 good eggs no slugs(might have got more if I was feeding for breeding.) from a few days they spent together in my heated snake room. I figure I have 4 weeks ontil they hatch.

[damzookeeper]

I know what you mean marisa. Not snakes here but I never brumated my beardies before and always got 2 nice clutches. This year I brumated them and only got 3 clutches from 2 girls and 3 girls didn't lay at all. My usual girl that gives me 2 large clutches didn't give me anything this year. :( I think next year I'll go back to letting them figure things out for themselves. They do well on their own with out my interference. lol. Good luck with the eggs you have though.

[Katt]

I think that if your animals are used to not brumating. Brumation might put them off b/c it's new and novel.

[marisa]

Yeah so maybe brumating again next year is the better idea, which is what i was thinking about today.

Marisa

[Matt_K]

next year eh??? :D LOL

[Derrick]

Besides the fact that you may just be dealing with an ajustment is there any documentation that burmation actually enhances/increases breeding success? Or does it just decrease the maintenance and upkeep costs of the snakes?

[vanderkm]

Sorry to hear that the clutch this year is not as good Marisa - hard to know what might explain it - as you say it is hard to draw conclusions with just one example, but it is disappointing. At least your female is doing well. Did she ever regain her coloration and did you see color changes in her this year again after breeding and laying??

Derrick - I have read a lot of posts that indicate that brumation is beneficial for sperm production by males and timing of ovluation in females but don't know whether this is actually established by research or speculation. We found that most of our colubrids went off feed during the winter when we did not brumate and we do it now to give us a break from expense and maintenance as well as to simulate the natural cycle and give the snakes a bit of a break from digestion. Have had no ill effects so far.


mary v.

[marisa]

Mary- Ever since her first clutch, she has remained "washed out" she has never gotten the color she had before back although this has caused her iridescants (sp) to come out. It's gorgeous. Another interesting point about her, although unrelated to breeding, is her eye color is different than my snow male. He has a nice pink iris, with a red pupil, while she has almost blood red eyes, and you can rarely see a pupil regardless of lighting.

Matt- hahaha na just asking for my own interests. You'll have it under control next year buddy. :)

Marisa

[marisa]

Here is a photo of the clutch...some have obvious red viens, some do not.

<img src="http://8snakes.myftp.org/marisa/Snakes/babycorn/eggs07-05-04.jpg">