Observations of cycling using sunlight

[Mardy]

I had said I would get to this.

Last year I chose to use light to cycle my snakes, and it worked good.
By light I mean sunlight. My reptile house has east and south facing windows.
And the light pours in to it. We live north of Ottawa in Canada, and have pretty short days in the winter here.

By the end of September, early October are males were no longer given basking lights, and the females 4 hours a day only.
Heating the whole room to 80 degrees. Day highs of around 82 and drops to 77-78 night.
The females were a degree or two higher in the days and were feed till ovulation.
Here is the big key to light cycling how early in the season breeding starts. By mid December warming up should start
slowly after winter equinox. And males should be place in with the females prior to equinox(last years big mistake I was going to males
in 01 January. My first female caught me be surprise and ovulated on the 24 December and I put a male in right away but it was to late
she gave me all slugs.
From previous years all my girls ovulated on average over 30 days earlier this year.
And the males were more aggressive to breed than I have ever seen before.

Just a bit of info on this, we will breed again this year
by light and see how it goes.

Mardy

[MudBoy]

That is very interesting Mardy.
I have printed out your post and with your permission I would like to pass it out at our next herp meeting here in Ozz.

I am lucky in that I dont have to go to such lengths as I live where they come from and they breed like bunnies here but your observations are very interesting all the same and with your ok I would like to share them with other herps here.

Thankyou

Rick.

[Mardy]

No problem Rick,
I'm doing it for a couple years out of curiosity mostly. And next year I'll have more detailed findings. As I was telling Jeff Favelle last night
They started cooling on their own 2 falls ago so though "lets see what happens.

Mardy

[MudBoy]

Thanks for that Mardy.

I will put your refference to this page on the print out and "crikey" you never know who could contact you in reguards to your temp study.lol

[Colonel SB]

Very cool Mardy, I might just print a copy for my self....Thanks for the info.