greymaiden
Love and Hisses
Last month I purchased a beautiful proven pair of candycanes from a breeder at a show. I saw some of their hatchlings and they were beautiful too. At that time, he told me the female may be gravid with her second clutch. Well, he was right, she is, and very fat and healthy and ready to lay those puppies soon (I hope). Good news for me!
Gravid or not though, I'm not sure if she's actually been fertilized. I've been keeping the male in with her a few days at a time, and then removing him to his own enclosure to take a break for a few days. I have not noticed any spill on their paper towels, or seen them copulating (and I am quite the voyuer). I can only assume they haven't.
This time around I went to get him to put him in with her and noticed he'd gone milky. Shed time! Will male snakes still mate when they are shedding? I'm just curious. I was thinking about putting him back in his own home until he'd shed since it might minimize the stress, but if he'll mate while he's waiting to shed then I may as well leave him in with his girlfriend.
Also, if anyone knows of a way to tell whether the eggs have been fertilized before she lays them, that would ease my anxiety a little. It doesn't really make a difference, but if she is going to go to the effort of laying the eggs, and I through the corresponding anxiety about possible egg binding etc., it would be awfully nice to actually have some hatchlings to show for all our efforts!
Curious,
Jamie Lynn
Gravid or not though, I'm not sure if she's actually been fertilized. I've been keeping the male in with her a few days at a time, and then removing him to his own enclosure to take a break for a few days. I have not noticed any spill on their paper towels, or seen them copulating (and I am quite the voyuer). I can only assume they haven't.
This time around I went to get him to put him in with her and noticed he'd gone milky. Shed time! Will male snakes still mate when they are shedding? I'm just curious. I was thinking about putting him back in his own home until he'd shed since it might minimize the stress, but if he'll mate while he's waiting to shed then I may as well leave him in with his girlfriend.
Also, if anyone knows of a way to tell whether the eggs have been fertilized before she lays them, that would ease my anxiety a little. It doesn't really make a difference, but if she is going to go to the effort of laying the eggs, and I through the corresponding anxiety about possible egg binding etc., it would be awfully nice to actually have some hatchlings to show for all our efforts!
Curious,
Jamie Lynn