Problems With Breeding

[John Cherry]

In the last several weeks, I have gotten about 9 or 10 emails from folks that are having various problems with the breeding part of the hobby. Not just with pits, but I thought I would answer those posts and put our take on the problems here on the forum.

First realize that reproducing is the most traumatic thing a female goes thru in her cycle of life. With that said also realize that each year no matter what you do a certain amount of females die from that trauma and additionally a few males that have been great pets and captives die also. Some of the problems are listed below:

1. A male is bred and his hormones run rampant and he goes off feed. This happens a lot, but usually they come around and start to feed again after access to the females is denied. Some quicker than others though. I have a western Hognose that I literally have to put into the boa room each year to get him to go back to eating. If he can smell the females in close cages he just wastes away. Each year though I have a male or two that I have to work with to get them going again and every so often we lose a male that no matter want he never regains his right mind and starts to feed etc. again.

2. A female is bred and she does the same thing, goes off feed while carrying the eggs or young and never starts feeding again. A real bummer to lose the adults even it you get a clutch of eggs or new borns.

3. A female becomes egg bound and has to have the eggs manually removed. Even if she recovers, chances are she will have the same problems over and over again. addtionally the chance of complication stemming directly from the egg retention are very high.

These are just a few of the common problems we have encountered, breeding also is a problem from the stress that the animals experience. Because of that stress a number of medical problems can and will manifest themselves when the animals immune system is at its lowest point. Be prepared to recognize the signs of these problems and deal with them aggresively.

Bottom line is that while I consider breeding something everyone should experience to complete the reptile experience, approach it with the caution it deserves. Keep your breeders in tip top condition, meaning that they are not too fat or too lean. That determination is a judgement call that can have devastating consequences and many times is an experience thing. I had a lady that recently lost her female corn to egg retention and then a subsequent lower GI infection. Her comment was if I had known the risks I would have never exposed "Rosy" to the rigors of breeding. I hate it when someone loses a valued pet, but I still think it is an experience everyone should have at least once in the hobby.

Just a few thoughts for everyone, that I hope helps in keeping you and your pets happy.

Take Care and have a good season,

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms :no_evil01 :crazy03:

[KelliH]

I don't know much about Pituophis but I just wanted to say.. I love ya John! You are so cool to post all that info! ;)

[John Cherry]

When it comes to good folks in the hobby and expertise on those durn lizards of yours you can't be beat either. You and Steve are class acts whom I consider to be friends. Tell Steve hello and stay in touch. and again thanks for the kudos.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

[FreakOfNature66]

Not many poepel would post a thread like that. Im glad that someone did. Thanks

[mikeydadog]

john that was a very informative post people like u are what keep me coming back to make sure i stay grounded with my pets kudos

[Nokturnel Tom]

And I had to wonder if similar things occur in nature for reasons unknown? What I am saying is if many breeders of various types of North American Colubrids are having a lousy year as far as production could it also be a lousy year in the wild? I do not think there's any way to tell.....but when I was a kid and went out in the field some years it would seem snakes were overlowing in massive populations. On another year they may be hard to find at all. Who knows how the instincts of snakes alter their wants and needs to reproduce? Many people ask themselves, "What have I done wrong?". In many cases I would say nothing. It is frustrating to not have your animals produce, but I think in some way the snakes themselves may have a sort of realization of this, and that it may influece them to breed heavily in seasons to come. I say this because recalling talks with other breeders in previous years it seems the majority of us have good and bad years at the same time. Not half the breeders do well and the other half do not. Seems more like all of us or none of us. People sometimes panic and rid thier collection of snakes they think are problematic when indeed they may not be, and that is not cool. We need to take the good with the bad and treat the animals with respect and as pets...not just money makers. I am waiting to see if some people including myself see some clutches much later in the year than average. I keep notes as best I can[ i am not the most organized person] and this year barely has any similarity to last year. On a different note I saw my Sonoran Gophers breeding again, and I already have a clutch from that female? It is not often I hear of Pits double clutching? Does anyone else think that what I mentioned about good years and bad years in nature having any truth to it? Especially meaning even if our captive snakes are kept in optimum conditions is it still mother nature that decides if they will or will not produce? I would like to hear about it, especially since reports of many proven breeders not producing this year have reached my mailbox from every part of the US. Tom Stevens

[RNPreptiles]

Tom, I have this to say:

Many snakes do not breed annually. They don't recieve the nutrition necessary for annual breeding like they do in captivity. Availablility of food may be increased by rains or something like that, thus increasing snake production. Some years there is just better climate for snakes, like this year in southern California, but it has nothing to do with production, they are just more active and therefore seen more often. Same numbers though.

Also, I saw a boa on tv that, well I dont know what to call it, not egg bound as they are live-bearing, but the offspring didn't come out all the way and the snake died. They found her dead with offspring attempting to come out, also dead. So it can happen in the wild.

As for poor production years among keepers, Im not sure about that. My only hypothesis would be climatic, likely to be due to lower humidity on some years or something like that. Either way, if you are right and everyone has good and bad years together, it should be looked into. There is a whole world of discovery awaiting in reptiles, there is so little that we actually know.

Just my opinions....

Nick Puder

[John Cherry]

Tom,

In the wild I have seen two cases of egg binding while out collecting. One was a very thin speckled king which I took to the house and soaked. She then passed the eggs which later 5 out of 7 hatched. The femlae looked to be very dehydrated and was found in an area where it was very sandy and dry. So just from ovservation I would have to say that was her problem. The other one was a longnose snake in south texas and the cloaca was completely distended. I took her home also but she died two days later. So yes I think it des happen in the wild from time to time, particuarly with young females and with animals that are not in prime consitions. I would also suggest that the majority of the egg binding problems we have in captivity result from over feeding and breeding at an inappropriate age. But then again that is just my fettish if you will. I dearly hate it when folks get in too big a hurry and/or have a female that is obese, try to breed them and then end up killing the snake a sad end for everyone concerned. This year so far I have had 11 herpers call me with these type problems and each time it has been related to one or the other circumstance.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms