first time breeder

[RhinoFangs]

ok besides searching on the internet i was wondering what info anyone has on breeding rat snakes? just the general information, temps, time, etc...

i'm gonna be breeding my male texas lucy to my female texas. what would you get out of breeding them?

thanks

[The Snake Guru]

Well I can tell you how I go about it.

When you are getting ready to Brumate them, stop feeding about 2 weeks prior to the event, a week after the last meal give them a nice long soak in luke warm water to help clear out thier bowels.

Over the next 2 weeks drop them gradually from the optimum operating temperature about 10 degrees every couple of days till they hit 50 degrees F.

Once they hit 50 your sitting there waiting for 3 to 4 months pretty much, temps can vary but I usually try to keep them now lower than 45F and no higher than 52 for duration of the cycle.

When you are ready to bring them out of thier slumber it's the exact oppisite...bring them up to temp slowly of the course of a couple of weeks, once they hit thier optimum start offering food. First couple of meals should be smaller than what you usually feed, to get thier system back up and running.

The key is slow and steady.....things you want to avoid are any sudden shocks to the system, temp dips, temp spikes, over feeding at the beginning.

I believe that is a simple recessive? If so you would get all normal looking rats 100% het. for Lucy.

~B~

[RhinoFangs]

Do you have any ideas about what time of the year to start? Also i cant really think of any ideas on how to get their temps low enough except by using my empty fridge on a warmer setting cause mine goes up to about 60* F I think. Also should they be giving any beeding to burrow in or should a hide rock just be fine.

[The Snake Guru]

I usually follow the seasons up here in the northland.....makes it easier so about October is when I start thinking about getting them bedded down.

As you've already thought about a fridge is one way to do it as well....slight modification will be required to keep a decent oxygen level in there though. I know of others that use thier basements during the winter months. A small closet with a cooling unit may suit your needs as well.

Definitely should given substrate to burrow into, I usually fill the totes 3/4 full with aspen, they should also have a small dish of clean water available at all times....they occasionally may wake up and get and drink about mid-stream in the process.

~B~