Rhino Rat Snake Breeding Journal 2022

In 2022, my rhino rat snake breeding season resulted in a successful clutch, despite low fertility and some hatchlings found dead in the egg. Pairing and separating my snakes multiple times during a 30-day period, the female laid 11 fertile eggs and 5 slugs on July 12. The eggs were incubated for 72 days until…

Rhino Rat Snake Breeding Journal 2022

These are the notes, pictures and videos taken during my 2022 rhino rat snake breeding season. I was more relaxed about this season as my female was bred the past two years in a row and had prolapsed before laying the previous year. I only attempted breeding with her as a full year went by since the prolapse and she seemed to make a full recovery. She ate and defecated like clockwork, her weight and body condition was nice and she had a great activity level, attitude and overall vibe of health. I decided to put the pair together a few times.

She successfully laid a good clutch but with low fertility and two of the eleven good eggs going full term but later found dead in the egg. The low fertility sucked but the full term dead babies sucked even more. This event has caused me to go back to the practice of cutting every single egg upon first pip. I will write more about this in a later blog.

Quick Info

I house my adult rhino rat snakes separately throughout the year. This pair was close to five years old at the beginning of the 2021 breeding season. This is the pair’s third breeding season together. I continue to pair and separate my male and females multiple times during the breeding season. No hibernation period was induced.

Summary

The snakes were paired at least four times from end of April to early June. Out of the four documented pairings there was consistent courting behaviour, two visual but unconfirmed locks and one confirmed lock sent to me as video evidence by my girlfriend while I was at work. LOL

Ovulation may have been observed at the end of May.

Eggs were laid mid July

Quick Numbers

The pairings took place during a 30 day period from April 27 until at least May 27.

The female went into her pre-lay shed on June 19 and shed her skin 11 days later on June 30.

A clutch of 11 fertile eggs and 5 slugs was laid 12 days later on July 12.

The eggs were incubated at room temperature (mid 70s F) for 72 days before the first one pipped on September 22 2022.

Rhino Rat Snake Breeding Journal 2022

March 30 – In shed –> Compy (male) has been roaming and digging in his classic pre-breeding season way.

April 11 – Shed skin –> Compy (male)

Apr 27 – Placed male inside female’s enclosure. Showed good courting behaviour and almost locking right away but no observed locks.

Apr 29 – Separated pair.

May 6 – Placed male in female’s enclosure.

Confirmed lock videos sent to me on May 7.

May 9 – Separated pair.

May – Paired for a few days. Courting behaviour witnessed but no locks seen.

May 24 – Paired during the evening on the 24 or 25. There were signs of a rain storm outside. Heavy courting behaviour observed. No actual locks witnessed but tail action was there. After the first day they just seemed to chill out.

May 27 – Separated pair.

May 27 – Observed possible ovulation. Could just be follicles building. Either way at this point I will keep pairing until the female goes into shed. I will not feed until after egg laying or my breeding attempts are over.

June 19 – In shed (pre lay shed).