07 Breeding Season

[Joanna]

This has been a very exciting season so far! I have bred 4 corn pairs and the last girl should lay her clutch in the next 3 weeks or so. I am very proud of my girls! Cohoe who is the only second time breeder laid 27 eggs and so far so good. Pimento who was bred to Chili laid 18 beautiful eggs and Hermione my motley het amel and possibly het caramel laid 14 eggs!

I have to say I am most excited about my Eastern Blackneck Garters. This has been a frustrating project to say the least. My herping passion started with garters. Unfortunately I lost 2 red sided females to illness. One had an internal abscess and another may have had a tumor. I decided against breeding red sideds and instead focused on a pair of Eastern Blacknecks that I got as babies in 04. The pair turned out to be 2 females. I bought a male baby who escaped and was found DOA one floor up from where he was lost and looked completely intact. Of course my husband found him the morning after I had been up all night with a stomach bug...

Last year I thought I found 2 adult males and bought them. When they arrived I found out I bought 2 females! AARGH! I then managed to do a trade for a young wild caught male who in fact turned out to be male. My girls are pretty big and he has remained a small snake so I was concerned about he would do with them. I felt I had nothing to lose and so I put him with Tiger one of my 04s. I saw no action but Tiger is looking rather large so I am hoping they just wanted privacy. This last week Cheetah finally decided it was spring and shed. I put Billy the Kid in with her and I he immediately showed his interest. Poor guy, I caught her dragging him around the tank while still mating! He seemed none the worse for wear. I guess like most males he'd take it any way he could get it.

Here's a photo of Tiger. Billy the Kid and Cheetah still need to be photographed and show more yellow than Tiger.

[Joanna]

Both are ghost het amel.

[Joanna]

Pimento, banded sunglow and Chili, sunkissed. I have been told he looks like he is a sunkissed but I did buy him as an Okeetee. I know the breeder has hatched sunkisseds from Chili's parents but his knowledge of genetics and morphs is limited. Since it was Connie and Chuck that told me they thought Chili is a sunkissed I believe them but I will most likely sell the hatchlings as normals het motley, amel, and probably sunkissed, with the S-factor being unknown. There are 18 beautiful eggs incubating with a hatch date in early to mid June.

[Joanna]

These are a pair of Motley het amel and possibly het caramel. I won them in the Christmas 05 photo contest. They were bred by Misty - Sleepy Hollow Herps. Hermione laid 14 perfect eggs last Sunday.

[Joanna]

Tamale is opaque right now. This girl was just not going to give it up until she was good and ready! She was bought as an Okeetee het amel and anery but I would call her a classic. Snowflake is a gorgeous snow that was donated to the Christmas 05 photo contest by Alan Hughes.

[chris311182]

hey do you know where to catch any garters in boston?...i've caught decay snakes in my yard but never a garter. i was thinging about looking along the charles river near my house. any suggestions?

[galenwbritt]

Originally Posted by Joanna

Poor guy, I caught her dragging him around the tank while still mating! He seemed none the worse for wear. I guess like most males he'd take it any way he could get it.

BWAH

THAT was pretty funny. I really liked your story on the garters and wish you luck this year. Also, you have some awesome breeders Joanna.......good luck with those as well and keep us updated on all of them.

Galen

[Joanna]

Originally Posted by chris311182

hey do you know where to catch any garters in boston?...i've caught decay snakes in my yard but never a garter. i was thinging about looking along the charles river near my house. any suggestions?

The quick answer is no! Looking around bodies of water is probably a good bet but I know that some of the kids around here tell me they have seen them in their backyards or on paths that are nowhere near water. The garters in Mass would be Eastern Garters.

[Joni Garcia]

Very nice corn snake breeders, Joanna! Good luck. I hope all goes well. By the way... Tiger is stunning!