corn breeding?

Thomas · 08-03-03, 03:09 AM

Hiya, I have 1.1 corn snakes male is Taz the Okeetee, female is Xenia the reverse okeetee. Taz is 2 and 2 months and Xenia is 13 months. I am hoping to breed them next year but I will be keeping them in the same viv all year round. Will they still breed, or in the breeding season should I remove the male and then put him back in? Also, tips on introducing them into the same viv would be appreciated. Taz is in there now but Xenia is a bit small so she will go in in the next few months. All help appreciated.

Aradya · 08-03-03, 06:00 AM

IMHO I would house the corns seperately. I've only been keeping snakes for a short period of time, but have spent tons of time on forums and talked to people who have given me the same advice, that the snakes could decide to turn and even eat one another, if one gets sick, the other is destined to catch it, if one regurgs its meal, how will you know which one. So to me, the cons out weigh the pros. But as I said, this is just me. I wish you luck with your decission.

Thomas · 08-03-03, 07:36 AM

nah, thanks but I got a few reliable sources myself and its definite, I was just looking for some help.

BoidKeeper · 08-03-03, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Also, tips on introducing them into the same viv would be appreciated.

There are no tips for introducing them into the same viv because it's not recomended. If you put two young corns like that together what will probably happen is that she will become gravid too soon and become egg bound and die.
Here are some points that I keep in mind and reasons why I do not house snakes together.
1. The presence of another animal in their space represents competition, competition leads to stress.
2. Stress leads to loss of appetite and or disease.
3. If one sick gets sick they can both get sick.
4. How do you know who is defecating and who is not?
5. Snakes are not social animals so although captivity its self is not natural forcing two animals to live together is even more unnatural.
Cheers,
Trevor

vanderkm · 08-03-03, 10:17 AM

If you choose to keep them together year round it might be beneficial to breeding to separate them for cooling over the winter. They will breed without the cooling phase, but it could help with male fertility and it is easy to house them separately for that time period because of their very low activity - they each just need a small rubbermaid tub with a water bowl. We also enjoy the 3 months respite from feeding, but it does mean you are without your pets for a while.

If you choose to cool them, then in the spring when you introduce them back to each other, they will both be definately in the mood, fertility should be optimal and you will have some control over when they breed. You might want to keep them separate this year until the female is well grown enough for cooling over the winter.

We prefer to house all our snakes separately through the year, for many of the reasons already stated, but people have sucess in breeding corns when they are kept together.

good luck with them,

mary v.

marisa · 08-03-03, 11:14 AM

No "reliable" source would tell you to house your cornsnakes together, because gues what? There is NO "reliable" reason TO house them together. Not one. Not even 1 reason they should be kept together.

If you want utmost sucess, healthy snakes you will listen to Boidkeepers post. Your female could very well get egg bound and die. Both could pass illness, cannabolisim, the fact that snakes are SOLITARY creatures as well.

Marisa

Thomas · 08-03-03, 02:28 PM

ok, I give in, I will get another viv for my female, although in case you were wonderin, I was not gonna put her in till she was at least 4ft anyway (TAZ is 4.5 ft).

Thomas · 08-03-03, 02:29 PM

oops, almost forgot, thanks for all you're advice!

Siretsap · 08-03-03, 02:41 PM

I keep my ball pythons together, and they always curlup into one big ball. It's funny to see cause you can't make who's head goes to who's tail. THey are only a few months old, but I won't leave them together for a long period of time because I know the male will want to breed in about a year nad a half.
But, I do house all my female cornsnakes together and my males together. They do not fight and I still feed them seperatly. The males being only with other males do not fight (in my case anyways) and neither do my females

BoidKeeper · 08-03-03, 02:44 PM

And when one gets sick they'll all get sick.
Good luck though,
Trevor

Siretsap · 08-03-03, 02:48 PM

Never had a problem with that. But I do treat all my reptiles with baytril and flagil when I get them.
As I said, it works for me, maybe it didn't for you and maybe it will not work for others. I still keep an eye on them all the time and if I would see one not acting normally, I would isolate him.

Simon · 08-03-03, 03:40 PM

I have around 500 corn snakes at home and guess what....I separeate all of them. None of them live together unless it's cleaning time I put them together for a few hours (sometimes a day...just because I have to clean so many cages...)

Keeping them separate is much more easier than keeping them together. You might save yourself some space but you're risking yourself a whole lot of trouble and risks. Also with stress one could grow much slower than the other because of stress...which could stunt them. So keep them separate

marisa · 08-03-03, 11:43 PM

What do you mean "work for others" ? Its not about how it works for people, the humans. Its about whats best for the snake.

Really, though it is.

Snakes are solitary creatures, they aren't social. Any behaviours you see them doing aren't social, they are out of need. In the wild cornsnakes do not "hang out" and competition DOES mean stress. I am sure they are fine because they are eatiing still, but over a period of time low but constant stress levels have been said to cause problems in many species of animals.

And again, not to mention, I have yet to see one good reason to house together, thats for the snakes. Not the people.

I just believe its wrong to work against an animals natural behaviour. Sure they have so much more to adapt to in our homes but to radically change the personality choices by forcing community housing is rough IMHO.

But clearly, this is all MHO and how I keep my snakes. I don't want to find out how it would work for me, because I am not the one in the cage. They are. Anyways happy herping.

Marisa