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To Mike

Hi Mike,

I have a small question about snake breeding.

I was wondering if you have any information in breeding Lampropletis snakes. Im thinking of breeding applegate AZ. mtn. kingsnakes soon and i need some information about the cooling period, etc.

Ifyou have any tips, please let me know
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Thank you-Zach
 
Zach -

Most Milks and Kings are similar in the conditioning needed for breeding, and the only difference with pyros is that they can stand cooler hibernation temperatures and longer periods of hibernation. Have you bred any colubrids (kings, milks, corns, etc) before?
 
I havent bred any before, no, but i have a basic idea of how to breed kings/milks. I have right now a male het for applegate pyro and im planning to breed him next year (burmation period first). Thanks-Zach
 
Zach -

Sorry I didn't reply any further...I overlooked this forum when looking through them all!

Here's my generalized guidelines for conditioning your Mountain ??Kings for breeding:

November 15 - Stop feeding; keep cages at normal temps.

December 1 - Gradually drop temps to the upper 40s/lower 50s over a one-week period; keep water in the cages at all times; check frequently and keep cages clean and dry; keep at this temp for the winter, unless any negative symptoms are seen (Drastic weight loss, skin infections, mouth rot, etc.)

February 15 - Gradually warm temps up to normal temp over a one-week period. Begin to feed (small meals at first) when normal temps are reached.

March 1 - Begin breeding trials; only put pairs together when they have been RECENTLY fed; otherwise you're liable to end up with one big fat snake! It usually works best if you put the male in the female's cage; leave snakes together for a couple of days, then separate them to feed for a couple of days. Repeat until no more breeding is noted.

Once the female is gravid (Reptile-speak for pregnant), place a nest box in the cage. The best I have found is a three pound butter tub with a small round hole cut in the middle of the side, lined with moistened long fiber sphaghnum moss (Now's when you're glad you love CPs...you've got all that LF moss around&#33
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Make sure to replace the nesting material if she soils it.

Contact me sometime next year BEFORE she is ready to lay eggs and I'll continue from here.

Good luck!
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want snake, can't have, depressed now, lol
 
Thank you for the info Mike. Wow, pyro's can witstand low temps. You wrote a statement about weight loss, how much is too much? Pyros already seem thin to me, so is there a way to know? Thank you-Zach
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (cephalotus88 @ Oct. 14 2002,11:22)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Wow, pyro's can witstand low temps. You wrote a statement about weight loss, how much is too much? Pyros already seem thin to me, so is there a way to know? Thank you-Zach[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Zach -

Tough to determine without looking at the animals, but I'll do the best I can...

Most milksnakes and mountain kingsnakes tend to have a more slender build than your more common kingsnakes, so try not to be overly concerned. However, I would definitely try to pour on the food for the next month to give them as much fat reserves as possible to last them during their hibernation (brumation). That way the female especially will be in better shape next year when you put her through an exhausting reproductive process!

Hope this helps too!
 
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