How hard is it to breed?

[NennaMeerkat]

Since it seems many of you, or at least a few, are breeders to some degree I am curious to know how hard it is to breed any kind of snake especially non tropical snakes. Both in the actual act of getting snakes together and the hatching/keeping of healthy babies. Kinda halfway thinking about breeding one day since I do love babies and have a couple of stores around me that do buy from local breeders. It seems like a fun prospect...but then again I don't know the hazards/stresses either.

[Aaron_S]

It all depends on the species you plan to breed. Some are easier and require less effort than others. Some require special attention to detail in regards to season,humidity, heat as well as the eggs may be more fragile than other species. Then there's the issue of hatchlings, some species can be difficult to get going.

For example I know of only one person who has bred rubber boas on a regular basis for the past few years. Easy to keep animals but not easy to get them to copulate. Along with that, that person has found that the babies don't eat until the following season after a brumation period!!!

If it's the hognose you're looking at then to my knowledge it's not too difficult to get them to breed but babies can be a little tedious to start feeding. Natural frog eaters so eating mammals isn't first on their minds.

[NennaMeerkat]

I was kinda thinking Corns since I have more general knowledge and experience with them than hognose. I have heard of breeders never getting baby hognose to eat and I just don't think I can deal with that...watching a baby slowly die from not eating.

[totheend]

Corn snakes have to be the easiest thing to breed! Put them together and they do the job. Incubation is a no brainer and feeding the hatchlings is not a problem either. You will be fine breeding corns.

[NennaMeerkat]

Yeah but I need to know like what to do with incubation and the actual breeding is all ya know what do I need to do to make sure the eggs hatch and such.

[Ch^4]

I can't help with breeding advice at this point in time--I'm an aspiring breeder myself--but I'd suggest picking up as many books as possible on the subject and reading them front to back numerous times. On that front, I can't suggest anything for corns, as I am learning the ropes for BPs.

I'm giving myself 2 years of preparation prior to initiating my breeding project, but I just want to make sure that I can be as ready as possible! To my knowledge, corns have relatively large clutches (compared to BPs), so being able to setup a rack system, or the like, that can adequately accommodate 10-20 or so babies is a must....ooh, I can't wait to have some babies!

Good luck and keep us posted!

[NennaMeerkat]

You keep me posted as well on your BP breeding project! I am so new at this I don't even know what a "rack" is. I assume it is what you keep the eggs on before they hatch?

[Ch^4]

A "rack" could be a number of things, depending on the context. In my post, I was referring to a tub system, or something similar; essentially it is an array of tubs (i.e., my new adult rack is 5 tubs tall in a single array. It could be 5x5, 2x3, etc., etc.). If you are familiar with mathematical matrices, just think of the entries in the matrix being tubs (vivs) for your snakes!

Some people have incubator racks; basically what is described above but with containers designed to incubate eggs. Just Google search "reptile rack" and look at some images to get an idea!

I will keep everyone posted on my project (mainly who the parents will be or the projected pairings, since I have a while until my girls are up to size)!

[NennaMeerkat]

See I prefer aquariums rather than plastic tubs for any reps that I have. I know plenty of people use them, but to me an aquarium seems much more...I don't even know the word. I suppose though for eggs and babies I would have to have some tubs, but for adults I would much rather just have them in aquariums, even if it meant filling every flat space in my home with them LOL

[Ch^4]

As long as the snake is healthy, I think choice of viv is a matter of preference!

I keep my colubrids in aquariums and my higher humidity snakes (BPs, JCP, BRB) in either plastic cages or tubs. The tubs I have are not opaque and allow for easy viewing, provide ample space for exercise/comfort, and keep the temps and humidity at the appropriate levels with minimal intervention on my part!

[NennaMeerkat]

Yeah if I had a high humidity snake I would just use whatever kept the humidity better, which I would assume is a tub. Thankfully kings, corns, and hognoses don't need high humidity so then aquariums are a nice choice for them. Though I have never owned a king.

Like you I will probably wait many years before I attempt anything. Don't want to be responsible for anything until I know I can do a good and proper job. Not to mention having sellers ready to go since it is not my idea to keep a large amount of babies and or adults besides the breeding ones.

[totheend]

I agree, you will want little tubs for the babies. Keep them in something small after hatching as it is easier to get them to eat.

As long as you have healthy adults you will have some nice healthy babies. Some things to keep in mind.....do not over heat the eggs during incubation and do no incubate in too damp of substrate. You don't need to cool your corns and I recommend you don't if you are new at this. Corns don't need to be cooled. I have never cooled them and I get 15-20 eggs. Wait until the babies shed to offer the first meal.

Good Luck :D

[NennaMeerkat]

Do they shed after coming out of the egg so soon? I would have thought growth of any kind wouldn't happen soon after hatching. Also what do you mean by "don't have to cool your corns" do you mean some sort of cycle of hot and cold for the eggs?

[Ch^4]

^^ Some snakes require a temperature drop or "cooling period" to get them in the mood for breeding! Baby snakes get nutrients from absorbing the yolk and shed a certain period after hatching.

I don't know much about egg incubation, but I think you want constant temps, not cyclic temps.

[NennaMeerkat]

Thanks again Ch^4

[totheend]

The babies shed about a week after hatching. And yes you want to keep the eggs at a constant temp. Temp flucuations are bad.

[NennaMeerkat]

I actually did know you had to keep a certain temp for eggs to hatch. To high or low and they won't. Thus my confusion when fluctuating came into play...or at least I thought.

[Aaron_S]

It's pretty easy to incubate corn eggs. I know people who just put them on a top shelf in a room with stable temperatures.

[NennaMeerkat]

Interesting would have figured the eggs would be harder than that to hatch. I mean being a cold blooded egg and all. But then again we are talking about snakes and not any kind of crocodilian.

[infernalis]

One thing to prepare for, birth defects, stills (Eggs that just rot or dead babies in the case of live birth snakes) and runts that fail to make it no matter how hard you try.

I have had more dead snakes than most people have living in their collections.

[Ch^4]

^^ That's going to be the toughest part for me when I begin my breeding projects. I guess over time your skin with thicken, but I cannot even fathom any of the above.

[Aaron_S]

Corn eggs aren't fragile. They are an United States species so their eggs must be incubated in temperatures found in their native lands.

[PyramidScheme]

^^ That's going to be the toughest part for me when I begin my breeding projects. I guess over time your skin with thicken, but I cannot even fathom any of the above.

i totally agree, that would make me feel horrible

[NennaMeerkat]

There is a high death rate for young snakes...guess I should have figured. Still it would be hard to deal with from the start as Ch^4 has said. Especially since they are so cute when they are little. Maybe I won't breed after all. I am just to soft hearted and then to only make money...just don't know.

[infernalis]

The first few times will be the hardest, then it gets easier to handle...

[NennaMeerkat]

It just seems a shame it should happen at all. I could handle eggs just not hatching but not them surviving after they come out. How often does it really happen?

[infernalis]

Most of what I intentionally breed are live bearing.

My last litter there were 8 babies born dead, including a snow.

3 runts that died within a few weeks, including one of the albinos & one Anery.

Recently lost one that was born with one eye (different litter)

Kinked spines are another problem that shows up from time to time.

It's not horrible, I chose to spend my time focusing on the ones that are born healthy and thrive.

Dwell on the bad stuff, and you will quit before you start. That would be a mistake.

Farmers don't close up shop over a deformed calf or a still born pig.