breeding behavior/timing

Hi,

I have two questions regarding breeding corns as I'm trying to breed my first (and possibly second) pair this year. First off, do corns only have one fertile/receptive time during the spring? I know typically people are breeding after the first shed after brumation, but my snakes were not brumated and the temps are still fairly cool here. They seem uninterested in each other, and I don't know if you just keep trying or if there's a point you realize you've just missed it for the season.

Also, I have a creamsicle stripe I love who's sex is as of yet undetermined. Bought as a hatchling originally labeled male, asked for it to be popped and was told it was most likely female (at the time I didn't know how to do it myself). I don't know how to probe, and everyone I've met around here who does insists it's a female by her tail shape and that probing isn't necessary. I know that's not 100% accurate. I've been introducing this snake to both males and females to judge breeding response, but the best I can say is this snake loves to do the jerking dance...do only males do that, or do females as well? My little male has no interest in her even after a shed, but he's also a virgin.

Thanks!

I did not brumate my snakes, but I treated them as if I had. They had ZERO interest at first. One pair hooked-up on the 4th introduction and the other pair took 7 introductions. There is a point at which the female is no longer ovulating and will probably not be receptive to the male. You would be best served to have the questionable snake probed. My males are 10X twitchier than the females.

Also, I just wanted to make sure you know that a Creamsicle is a hybrid. Any resulting offspring should be labeled as such. Good luck!

I didn't brumate my adults last year and I had females being receptive from February through March and April and on into June. I would recommend that you just introduce the pairs at least once a week, preferably twice a week to see what happens. And unless I actually witness a successful mating, I always leave pairs together overnight for at least one night as some males are very shy and simply will not court the female while I am around/during the day.

Two males together will both potentially do the twitchy thing. It's a dominance display where the one that ends up on top, wins - and sometimes they do ... er... "go all the way". Best to get the dubious one properly sexed, as Josh suggests.

Tail shape is NOT a reliable way to determine gender. With adults it can provide a good educated guess, but with animals that aren't sexually mature you can forget it altogether. Twitches don't indicate gender, either. Some do indeed take repeated introductions, and some won't do any courting when they're being watched.

I'm not far from Mobile and I wouldn't mind probing your snake(S). PM me if you'd like to set up something.

Thanks for the info. I indeed DO want to probe the questionable snake, but had not found anyone experienced who could do it. I even brought it to the reptile show they had here, and could only get people to "guarantee" it's a female without really even looking, let alone probing. Caryl, I'm going to send you a PM and see if I can't take you up on that offer!

And yes, I know the cream is a hybrid and will label any babies produced as such.

PM sent. Heaven knows, breeding has enough frustrations even when we KNOW the gender of the snakes! Might as well reduce the frustrations as much as possible!

I dont burmate and have 4 gravid females right now. After you find the sex of the snake in question. Introduce them for an evening, like Susan suggested. Leave them on paper towels so that you can see the evidence of any hook up.

Hope everything works out......

I just bought an anery girl who is more than big enough & old enough. She is quarantined for the next 8 weeks minimum. However, is there any chance, if I put her with Icabod after she is out of quarantine, that they might hookup anyway?