Breeding in Florida

[xzcarloszx]

So I have a pair of Corn Snakes that I would like to breed this year.
They both meet the 3 Year 300 Gram Criteria.

I’ve read and understand the process when it comes to dropping the temperature etc.

However for the 3 years I’ve had them, I’ve never done this.

I live in Miami, FL and it never gets cold here. My house temperature ranges from 70-75. My Thermostats is set at 80 Degrees on the warm side. Temperature wise its consistent all year, never changes.

Would I still be able to breed them? How do I trigger them into wanting to “Breed?”

How do you Floridians breed your corn snake?

 

[Nanci]

I don't brumate. My snakes breed just fine. I start pairing them once a week some time in January. I'm by Gainesville. Mine just started breeding a week ago.

 

[xzcarloszx]

Is it too late to start Now in March?

 

[JessKeen]

Is it too late to start Now in March?

I bet if you stick them in a tub together you'll find out

 

[Nanci]

No it's not too late. I still have several pairs who aren't ready to start yet, but should be, any day. This is the normal starting time for unbrumated Florida pet snakes.

 

[xzcarloszx]

Thank you Nanci

Now my boy is in shed, should i wait until he's done?

Do you pair them after they've digested their meal? Or it doesn't matter?

 

[Nanci]

I wait until after they have pooped. Otherwise they poop in the breeding bin. I put pairs together when the male is blue, but not the female.

I don't have any substrate in the breeding bin; you don't want aspen or whatever to get stuck on the hemipene.

 

[xzcarloszx]

Breeding Bin = Empty Tub with holes?

Should i wait and monitor them or just leave them in there for a few hours?

 

[xzcarloszx]

Disregard, found an old post of yours =)

 

[xzcarloszx]

And on my first try, they locked. My snakes are all grown up now and no longer virgins.

 

[xzcarloszx]

Help yellow goop came out the female once they were done, is this normal?

 

[Nanci]

The yellow goop is "evidence-" the semen that leaked after they were finished. Are you sure it came from the female? Usually I just find it in the bin after the pair separates, but last time I was "lucky" enough to see the male withdraw, and his hemipene was coated, covered, with yellow goop which flopped into a little puddle on the floor of the bin as he drew the hemipene back into his body.

I put the pairs together every three days, until the female refuses twice in a row. For big adults, I just don't feed for the breeding period, because they don't really have enough time to digest, and then they poop in the breeding bin. With smaller females, who I am still trying to put a few more grams on, I'll feed every six days, so on the second and fourth breeding. If the male needs to eat, I'll feed him immediately after breeding. I let the female relax for an hour or so, in the breeding bin, before feeding her in her feeding bin.

For a breeding bin I use an empty 66 quart sterilite, right in the rack. They are secure, and semi-private. I don't put any substrate in, obviously, because you can't clean it up, it can get stuck in the male's hemipene, and it just gets in the way. I _did_ used to put down newspaper, but then the snakes would hide under it and I couldn't see what was going on. They don't care if they are in a bare bin when they are ready to breed.

I leave them together 30 minutes while they are courting. If the female is going to consent, she generally will do so very quickly. Leaving them together longer when she is refusing just tires and frustrates everyone. After she has decided she is ready, and I have witnessed one breeding, every three days I put them together, set a timer for 30 minutes, and walk away. Even if I don't witness the lock, there is always the evidence.

 

[kc261]

I watched my pair rather closely the first time I put them together. Luckily they weren't shy! When they separated, some of the semen did leak out of the female for a few seconds after they separated. But, of course, that doesn't mean it originated from her. If I wasn't expecting to see the "evidence" like I'd seen in so many pics on this forum, I might have been alarmed. The fact that such a relatively large volume of extra semen comes from such a small animal is rather astonishing even when you know what it is and to expect it!

 

[Nanci]

Okay, so are you prepared for it if you ever see blood after they are done? That's another shocker! But I've never heard of anyone having further problems from it, or a snake that didn't go on to breed on the next scheduled day. It's presumed it comes from the male. If you search for bloody evidence or blood after breeding you should be able to turn up some examples. I'm glad I knew about it before it happened to me! My snakes that is...

 

[xzcarloszx]

So 3 days later, I put them in the "bang box" and I got my 2nd lock

Nanci what is your strategy when mating 1 male to 2 females?

3 Days one female, another 3 days the other female?

 

[Nanci]

It depends on if both females are ready to go at the same time. I think I would breed every two days, and alternate the females. I've only had to alternate once, I think. On the rare occasion I've used the same male for more than one female, the females weren't on the same schedule.

 

[xzcarloszx]

Action Shot

Seems like i didn't upload the picture correctly in my last post.

 

[xzcarloszx]

Hmm good point possibly both females aren't ready at the same time but if they are alternate the females every 2 days.

Is that enough rest for the male? Enough time to produce more sperm?

 

[kc261]

I think human males are supposed to produce millions of sperm a day. If snakes are anything like that, then even if the sperm is not as concentrated as it would be if there were more days to "recharge", there will still be PLENTY of sperm. And remember snakes have the nifty ability to retain sperm, too, so as long as there is a good dose of sperm in any one of the locks, I'd guess that would be good enough to produce fertile eggs. I'm not really sure how sperm retention works, though, so I make no promises! I suppose it's also possible a female could retain a batch of semen that doesn't have any good sperm in it.

Nanci, I'll have to search for that! I wonder why people presume it comes from the male? My first guess would be the female...

 

[xzcarloszx]

So my snakes have locked 6 times (every 3 days) and on my last attempt, she denied him. I just checked up on her and she's in shed (pink). She looks pregnant to me. At this point I stop putting them together right? She look preggo to y'all?