bp brumation

[Henry]

I have a rbi rack that holds a famale that is about 900 and a corn snake juv, a baby spider and a baby pastel. I want to start bringing my normal female through brumation cycles getting her ready for breeding. Can i do this in the rbi rack with the other snakes in there. Are my other snakes to young to go through the temp drops? Do i have to put her in a seperate container?If it doesn't matter with the other snakes in their can i still feed them while the temps are lower?

[joshn6805]

the female is nowhere near breeding size probably wont be for a while even if kept on a consistent schedule. why rush things?

[twistedtails]

the female is nowhere near breeding size probably wont be for a while even if kept on a consistent schedule. why rush things?

I disagree. You could, if your female eats well, have her up to a breedable size by breeding time. I had a female go from 900 to 1500 in 3 months. She also slammed food and was a little under weight for her size when I got her. She is gravid as we speak. I do agree with not breeding her if she is not at weight at the time of the season though. Good luck. Let us know what happens.

[joshn6805]

Reviewing the op's previous post's I dont know if he has enough experience to begin breeding just yet, but maybe im wrong. Im just trying to get him to avoid power feeding in order to try to breed this season, even though if the right conditions are provided there isnt really a season as they can be breed year around. Interesting.....I have never heard it called brumation always heard it refereed to as night drop, temp dropping etc.....

[twistedtails]

I didn't powerfeed my female. I used maintnance feeding. I just gave her what ever she wanted to eat once a week. It was like 2 small rats a week. Sooner than later she was eating mediums. I didn't stuff food in her mouth or anything. Snakes will not kill themselves by eating. When they are not hungry anymore they will simply stop eating.

[twistedtails]

On the other hand, if you don' have much experience with snakes why would you want to breed? There is a lot that goes into it. Not just let them breed(well that us part if it). Have you thought about where you will put these snakes when they hatch? Do you have an incubator or know how to make and maintain them? Do you have access to enough food for all these snakes? You should definately weigh all your options before you start the process.

[joshn6805]

I didn't powerfeed my female. I used maintnance feeding. I just gave her what ever she wanted to eat once a week. It was like 2 small rats a week. Sooner than later she was eating mediums. I didn't stuff food in her mouth or anything. Snakes will not kill themselves by eating. When they are not hungry anymore they will simply stop eating.

snakes grow at different rates so neither of us can say when it will be ready to breed or not so its kinda pointless to even be worried about that. Snakes can regurge and injure there digestive system to the point of multiple regurges causing death, so yes they can kill themselves by eating.

[joshn6805]

On the other hand, if you don' have much experience with snakes why would you want to breed? There is a lot that goes into it. Not just let them breed(well that us part if it). Have you thought about where you will put these snakes when they hatch? Do you have an incubator or know how to make and maintain them? Do you have access to enough food for all these snakes? You should definately weigh all your options before you start the process.

Best advice right there.

[AaronP]

I wouldn't worry about dropping Temps until she's of proper size (It's opinionated but 1500 Grams is the minimum size for most people). Also I would seperate the younger snakes from the adults when dropping temps, they may go off feed and if you're interested in breeding them you don't want them to go off feed during the winter.

[Kaorte]

I am not 100% sure but I think doing the temp drop would make the snake go off feed for the breeding season. If your snake is not up to weight, do not drop the temps.

I don't think ball pythons go through brumation. That is more of a colubrid thing. Sometimes a night drop gets them in the mood though.