Breeding

[KITKAT]

I stop feeding two weeks before brumation.

I just put them in my basement with no lights, a hide, and a water dish. My basement runs 60 degrees, while the main part of the house is 68, and the office where my PC monitor and reptile lights heat the room up, is usually 70 - 75... and of course warmer in the basking areas.

I cover the tanks in the basement with a sheet for continual darkness.

The drop from the 70 - 75 degree room to the 60 degree basement is sufficient to put my snakes into a light brumation. I keep them down there for six weeks, and bring them back up. I time the brumation so they go to sleep in early to mid January and wake in the first week of March.

[abcat1993]

Originally Posted by Cazador

As I recall, you have a female, so you'd want to keep her down until you've already found or bought a mate. You want to have the male present before you bring her out of brumation. Hope this helps,
Rick

I think I have a girl. I wouldn't do that this year, she's a baby. Maybe not even next year. How long can they breed for?

[Cazador]

The answer varies by species and by individual. Thamnophis sirtalis normally lives 8-9 years in captivity, but if I recall correctly has lived up to around 15 years? I think someone just posted that a T. ordinoides actually lived to be 17 years old? Can somebody help me out there? Anyway, I wouldn't count on yours reproducing beyond 7-8 years of age, but there are always exceptions. The very old ones might not reproduce a year or two before they die, but I suspect that most do just find until they die.

To show the species contrast, T. gigas normally only lives to be 4-6 years old, so it obviously wouldn't continue reproducing as long as other species.

[jasuncle1972]

Any answers as to how many clutches can be had from on breeding? When I found my snake sh was already gravid, she had 14-15 babaies. One lived, but got loose in the house.

[Stefan-A]

Originally Posted by Cazador

To show the species contrast, T. gigas normally only lives to be 4-6 years old, so it obviously wouldn't continue reproducing as long as other species.

Are you sure about that? According to The Garter Snakes - Evolution And Ecology (page 190, "Population Biology"), T. gigas doesn't reach sexual maturity until 3-5 years of age. A female would have the opportunity to mate once, maybe twice in its lifetime?

[Thamnophis]

Originally Posted by Stefan-A

Are you sure about that? According to The Garter Snakes - Evolution And Ecology (page 190, "Population Biology"), T. gigas doesn't reach sexual maturity until 3-5 years of age. A female would have the opportunity to mate once, maybe twice in its lifetime?

I am also curious about that.

[Cazador]

I thought I read it online, but a quick search didn't turn up anything. I did, however, see the 3-5 years until sexual maturity online and in Rossman's book. Thanks for keeping me honest .
Rick

[Thamnophis]

In theory you would expect that T. gigas would get older than smaller species.
Often is it so that larger reptiles get older than smaller ones.
But I do not know if this is true for T. gigas.
It's difficult to measure ofcourse. Are there many specimen in captivity?

[Stefan-A]

As a side note, the first google result with the search words "thamnophis gigas longevity", had this in it's description: "No studies of the longevity of giant garter snakes have been conducted."

[ssssnakeluvr]

on the age thing...I had a wandering garter for almost 10 years and she was an adult when i got her...I have been emailing a guy inCanada the contacted me thru my website. He has a 42" red sided garter that he caught as an adult over 20 years ago!! I have never heard of one living this long, got to be a record!!! He was keeping her as a pet so I don't know how late she would have bred...