Ovulation question/biology lesson

Jeff, or whoever can explain this,...

I am not going to breed my females this year. So I am wondering what effect that will have, on ovulation, infertile egg production, future egg binding, etc., and weather or not they should be cycled. To cycle, or not to cycle,...that is my question.
T.

snakes are induced ovulators (keep 100 female snakes in isolation and 99 will never lay an egg). they will usually only ovulate when a male mates with them, like cats. however, not like most chelonians and birds, which ovulate when seasonal conditions are right (increasing daylength, increasing heat, etc.)

if you "cycle" your snake she will yolk her follicles, but without mating, she will not ovulate and will reabsorb the yolk lipoproteins and convert them into stored energy. this is an adaptation for the female to be ready for a sexual encounter, while at the same time not waste the energy in the event that she doesn't encounter a male. they probably lay down a strong pheromone trail to increase the likelihood of an encounter.

that's the biology, others should chime in on whether they think cycling will affect future reproduction (it shouldn't reptiles in general are not limited in the number of ova they have, like most mammals), or egg binding.

matt

Thanks Matt,
Very good reply! So if I don't let her breed, it should not make any difference,...right?
What would happen if I kept her daylight hours and temperature the same all winter? If I trick her body into thinking it's still summer, what would be the effects? This is one of those times when it would certainly help to know more about wild couperi mating habits. Thanks again,
T.

in the absence of environmental stimuli, the hypothalamus (brain) will not stimulate (via GnRH) the pituitary to stimulate the ovaries (via the gonadotropins LH and FSH). without this stimulation the ovaries will not grow follicles, the liver will not convert stored fat into yolk proteins, and the follicles will not yolk. no one, to my knowledge, has shown that this is detrimental to future reproduction. so i would say, "six of one, half a dozen of the other".

your snakes should be fine either way.

i've been cooling my snakes only slightly as the nights cool in the house (i'm not breeding anything this year).

matt

Excellent help Matt! Thanks a bunch!! I won't worry about it too much either way then. But I will always wonder, as I always do, exactly what makes these guys tick. It is imperative that we all do.
T.

Matt,
I think my wife and I will be making a trip to Iowa, and Indiana this fall to visit friends and family. Maybe we'll drop in on ya. Minesota is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Ioweenia. I have an old freind in Mn as well. And if I remember right you guys have beer with a higher alcohol content,...just what I need! Woopeedoopee!
T.
T.

we have family in and out to see the new baby, but if we can arrange a day that works, you're more than welcome to come and check out northfield. maybe help me with the new cages.

matt