# 2008-2009 Breeding Season



## Soybean (Feb 11, 2009)

Just figured I'd post some pictures from last year's breeding season. I only bred one female last season. 

I bred Akina (normal female) to Xefaud (normal male, carries pied gene)









After a few good locks, Akina began to glow









Early March she had her pre-lay shed after an ovulation in February. I expected eggs by early April, but she didn't lay until 60 days after her pre-lay shed (30 days is average) It was quite unexpected as once she passed the 30 day mark I figured she wasn't going to lay.









Then I candled the eggs to see if they were fertile. 5 were fertile, 1 was infertile. (this was 16 days into incubation)


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## Soybean (Feb 11, 2009)

The infertile egg went bad very soon into incubation (within the first week) and was taken out. Then during incubation, I lost 3 fertile eggs at different stages. (I have pictures if anyone is interested. I cut the eggs open). I was left with two developing eggs. Towards the end of incubation I cut the eggs (many people cut the eggs to see what they have or if they are worried the babies won't be able to make it out. I was just curious and it poses no threat to the babies, as long as you do it late in incubation. I believe I cut mine on day 55 out of a 60 day incubation) Inside one egg I found a very deformed baby. He was missing an eye and had spinal kinks. The other appeared to be formed normally.

Deformed baby









Normal appearing baby









A few days later one baby hatched out.









He had a very low hatch weight (35ish grams) but appeared healthy









Upon inspection, I found the deformed baby had died before hatching. He had wrapped his umbilicus around himself. I removed him from his egg and found he was so deformed he would not have survived anyway. The surviving hatchling turned out to be kinked as well but not nearly as bad. He was sexed male. 









Over the next weeks, we tried everything in the book to get him to eat but eventually he grew too weak to live and passed away. We think his digestive system may not have formed normally as he was never able to swallow food and anything we gave him via tube came back up. His name was Rubiix and he will always have a place in my heart (as will his deceased clutch mates)

This season we are praying for a better breeding season. We are breeding 3 females.


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## leesha (Feb 15, 2010)

I'm sorry to hear of your loss! :'(


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## Soybean (Feb 11, 2009)

Thank you. I still miss that little wiggle worm. :-\ Hopefully this season will be better.


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## psycho_ash (Sep 27, 2009)

That really sucks that you lost all of them... The hatched baby is very cute and shiny!

What does it mean when you say that Akina began to "glow"? 

And is that first picture of them mating?


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## Soybean (Feb 11, 2009)

Yes, the first picture is of them mating. For some reason they decided to put it up in the air for all to see. :

If you compare the color of Akina (the larger snake) in the first picture and her color in the second picture you can see how different the color is.


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## Gabrielle B (Jan 16, 2009)

Beautiful snakes, very interesting  Sorry to hear of the loss of your bubs though  Hopefully next time will be better for you


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