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Communal laying...

Tula_Montage

Tula_Montage

It's Jager time!
I saw something on a UK forum which disturbed me a bit... A guy showing off 4 heavily gravid females squished into the one tiny laybox. He claimed to have another 3 (total of 7) gravid females in the one viv. Now I don't know much about breeding snakes, I have never successfully hatched an egg yet, however common sense tells me that a gravid female wants her own laybox with peace and quiet to lay a healthy clutch of eggs.

Whats your opinions on the matter. What are the benefits apart from convenience for the owner and saving money setting up 7 adult females in their own boxes or vivs with their own laying boxes?

What could be the downsides of communal laying? Stress factors leading to egg binding? Egg retention due to not having an ideal lay box? Competition over decent lay spots leading to aggression within the group?

Any thoughts guys, or am I the only one that is concerned over the welfare of these 7 gravid females?
 
It don't sound like a good idea to me, but I'm no expert either. If we accept that a snake wants it's own space when it does it's usual business of eating thermoregulating, etc, then I would think it stands to reason that it would be especially important when she's most stressed..
 
I actually saw this last year in a local reptile store. They had several females, a male and one lay box. I never saw hatchling corn snakes in the store, maybe one or two, so have know idea what the outcome was. I do know this year the male is no loger in there but there is a different male. When I asked if females were gravid they said, Oh! I guess. No lay box yet!
 
Even communal animals such as horses and dogs will go off to have their young alone, why would a solitary animal like a snake be any different???? It makes no sense and yeah, you'll never know which female laid which eggs and/or slugs.

Stupidty reigns...
 
I was shocked at the comments of "great looking snakes" for 2 pages and I had to say something... Why had no one else said anything? I guess when it comes to keeping in (not up) with the Jonses people don't say a word eh. Poor snakes.

I asked him the following questions in my initial response...

"Is this the first time you have tried communal laying? If not what has been the fertility rate in the past? What do YOU feel the benefits are to shoving 7 gravid females in the same viv? How will you know which clutch is which? Have you noticed competition for the best lay spots which has lead to aggression? Have you noticed any of the snakes becoming stressed?"

pictures
 
tom e said:
It don't sound like a good idea to me, but I'm no expert either. If we accept that a snake wants it's own space when it does it's usual business of eating thermoregulating, etc, then I would think it stands to reason that it would be especially important when she's most stressed..
Click to expand...

Excellent point Tom. Why if we make such a big deal about not cohabitating corns that aren't gravid do people think it is acceptable to house 7 heavily gravid females who are obviously competeing over the right laying spot (take a look at the pictures).
 
That's beyond belief. A pippie mill? A cheapskate who has no regard for the animals' welfare? The crowing about keeping all the females in a viv together because it looks pretty! That whole story makes me so sad and angry.
 
OMG thats terrible! I havent bred yet but i know thats just not on, good to see some people agree but wheres the answers, the poor things
 
Absolutly. I am shocked at people I know to be knowledgeable and good keepers to simply stand back and say "nice snake"... Cowards.
 
Well clearly Elle, because you haven't hatched out snakes yet you have no idea that multiple snakes squished inhumanely in one box isn't "the cool thing" to do.
:rolleyes:
 
It's just because it's me, the provocative disliked herp keeper with apparently no experience that his response is so childish and uncivil. Now if it was anyone else....

Unfortunatley for Ant I am a mouthy bitch and I find this unacceptable husbandry and I am not willing to sit back and have his peers say "nice snake dude".
 
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