Odd Male Behavior

[andrewx525]

Hi everyone,

I've noticed for about the past month, my male corn has been extremely active. He is on the go all hours of the day, and is constantly trying to find a way out of his enclosure. I know he is approaching breeding size, at 250 grams, about 3 feet, and 2.5 years old. I also noticed during his last feeding that he was hesitant to eat, actually striking at the f/t mice but not eating until I dropped them and covered his feeding tub. I know my house gets a little cool in the winter and I'm wondering if he was able to slightly brumate and this is him trying to find a female to breed. I fed him every 7-10 days throughout the entire winter, and he never seemed to have any issues eating. He has always had a great feeding response which makes this behavior odd. Has anyone else experienced this type of behavior? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dragonling]

this is him trying to find a female to breed.

Bingo. They don't need to brumate to put them in the mood. Many small breeders don't bother with it.

 

[andrewx525]

Is it unhealthy for him to do this behavior if he won't get the opportunity to breed? I doubt my male ball python would be supportive of his advances and he doesn't exactly have any other choices lol. Will the stress of not breeding be bad for him?

 

[HerpsOfNM]

Is it unhealthy for him to do this behavior if he won't get the opportunity to breed? I doubt my male ball python would be supportive of his advances and he doesn't exactly have any other choices lol. Will the stress of not breeding be bad for him?

No, this is a fairly common behavior and "natural" stress. He may even go off feed, but so long as he's got adequate weight, he should be fine. My lone male green tree python is currently doing this at the ripe old GTP age of 13. These storms rolling through TX right now are making him even more active in cruising every inch of his cage. The first time he did this, he went almost 2 months without food, but since that year (2006) he's always maintained an appetite when in breeding mode.

Nothing to sweat, perfectly normal behavior.

 

[Nanci]

BTW, he's way beyond breeding size for a male!

 

[Distaff]

My 232 gram male has been the same this week. Normally, as placid as can be, and always eats. He finished a shed on the 7th, and rejected his late mouse. Lots of restless cruising since.

 

[nicolefowler2005]

How long do you keep the mouse in the feeding tank before you hack it up to a feeding rejection?


Nicole

 

[andrewx525]

BTW, he's way beyond breeding size for a male!

What is considered breeding size for a male? I've always read the rule of 3's (3 feet, 300 g, 3 years old) and thought it applied to males.

 

[Distaff]

How long do you keep the mouse in the feeding tank before you hack it up to a feeding rejection?


Nicole

Overnight, actually. That's really too long, but all my snakes have always eaten right away if they were going to eat at all. I make sure they know where the mouse is finally left, so that shouldn't be the problem.

This corn always makes a prompt and dramatic strike when feeding. I offered the evening he finished his shed (had been two weeks since the last meal), and this evening. He checked both mice out...tongue flicks on it, and even slowly curled his neck around the mouse each time, but then left off.

Shrug. I'll try again a week from now.

 

[HerpsOfNM]

Again, I honestly wouldn't sweat it. Something to keep in mind for next season however....

Around mid to late February, and all of March/April start keeping an eye on shed skins. I've yet to notice it in corns, but in my male green tree python and in a rattlesnake I had on display at a museum I formerly worked at I knew it was "that time of the year" when I'd notice sperm plugs attached to shed skins from said time frame. Usually I'd offer a meal after this shed, if no interest I chalked it up to raging horomones.