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First off, I wouldn't try to breed king snakes that young. Waiting until they're at least 3 years old (I prefer 4, actually) makes it far less likely they'll have trouble with egg-binding. Their bodies need time to mature- a yearling king snake is NOT ready to breed. Not saying it never happens (or is attempted) in the wild, that can't be helped, but I'd never allow it with my animals.
Also, remember these snakes will sometimes eat each other, so they must be well-fed & it's a good idea to get them acquainted with each other's scent BEFORE you try to put them together- to judge their readiness, but also their reactions (mating vs. hunger). I also think that getting them some exposure to each other's scent tends to facilitate the breeding when it does occur. This can be accomplished in several ways: (1) Put them separately in each other's cage for a while. Then put them back in their own. (2) Handle them one at a time, so their scent transfers to you & your clothing- trust me, they'll notice the scent you're wearing. Talk about "playing match-maker" LOL! But this is what I did, & when I put my kings together they mated, no trouble. I think this is likely equivalent to what transpires in nature- only outside, they become aware of each other by their scent left in the area- so it's not a sudden "blind date".
When it comes time for them to actually mate, stay ready to separate them if needed- it doesn't take long for one to kill the other by "mistake". I wouldn't leave them together unobserved- I gave mine some time together -several hours at a time on subsequent days- with separations in between. Had plenty of success too, btw. But PLEASE wait for them to mature physically.
Brumation- you don't need to get them that cold- 55* is low enough. Do make SURE they have no undigested meals in them when brumated- so stop feeding 3 weeks before you gradually lower their temps. & turn off their heat. They can die from food rotting in their digestive tract during brumation- I hope you fully understand that. During brumation, their immune system is also 'on hold', so it's not without risks, & if you suspect ANY health issues, don't brumate snakes. Every now & then snakes may not wake up from brumation, or they wake up sick. Just be prepared for that, if these are primarily your pets.
One more thing I'll mention: once you breed some colubrids, you may "plan" to give them next year "off" but their bodies have a different idea. Whether or not they mate again, some snakes will continue to churn out eggs, fertile or not. So breeding a female snake that's not fully grown is very likely to stunt her growth, because from that time on, she'll be churning out eggs. This is another reason it's best to wait until they're 3-4 years old & their full adult size has been attained. There's usually no going back.
Last edited by Bogertophis; 07-26-2021 at 03:23 PM.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ~ Gandhi
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The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:
Albert Clark (02-02-2022),DCR (07-26-2021)
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