Can you breed corn snakes any time of the year?

rynwilliams · 06-09-03, 05:49 AM

Can you breed corn snakes any time of the year with the use of temperature control? e.g. can you brumate them for a few months any time of the year? or does it have to be around november?
Can i brumate my corns now and then try to breed them in a few months time?

vanderkm · 06-09-03, 08:12 PM

I do know of one person who has brumated during the summer, but I don't know if they were successful in breeding after that, I believe it was for other reasons that she cooled them. You must live somewhere that it is possible to get to pretty cool temperatures to be contemplating that at this time - it is getting pretty warm here to find a location that stays at below 60 degrees. You would also have to consider altering day length before and after cooling because I believe it takes multiple signals if you are going to significantly alter their breeding cycle. Sorry I can't be more help but ........

mary v.

Vanan · 06-09-03, 08:29 PM

It's possible to do all that Ryan, but your success rate may vary from others who do it during the natural season i.e winter.

Corns are eager breeders with or without brumation and as long as your adults are picky about breeding (very unlikely with corns) I'm pretty sure you'd be successful.

Two things to keep in mind with corns. To instigate breeding, a shed cycle is the most important thing IMO. Secondly, to get a cood fertile clutch, you need to have cooled the male sufficiently so that he has a good and healthy sperm count.

Good luck!

Neil · 06-15-03, 05:44 AM

Many people think that brumating in the winter is the only way but many others think that brumation is not important and have got excellent results after no cooling period at all. It is thought, however, that better results are obtained if a cool period of a couple of months has taken place; This is especially important for the males for the reason stated in the last reply.

Tim_Cranwill · 06-17-03, 10:19 PM

Just to throw another experience into the bowl, I had an adult female who had been cooled and a rescue male who had not. He father two clutches this year... without cooling. The first was 17 eggs with 4 infertile and the second was 15 with 2 infertile. Now, those fertility rates probably would have been better had he been cooled but the proof is in the pudding in this case...