My snakeskins eggs hatched!

[brewmaster15]

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Sorry if you thought I was talking discus. :)

I used to breed Albino ratsnakes and decided to put my group of 3 together.I came home after vacation to about 12 eggs in their tank.I had.no idea if they were fertile and had no incubator as mine had broke so I threw them in some sphagnum moss in s fish tank and heated with a small lamp. hoped for the best. That was in August.

The eggs have started to hatch..at least one hatched which was was more than I thought would.

pretty dang cool! Its been many years since I bred these guys...the mom is from the last set of eggs I got then.

Al

[Clawhammer]

Very cool Al! Looking forward to more updates!

[Second Hand Pat]

That is really cool Al. Hope more hatch. :)
Pat

[fishbubbles]

That's one funny looking discus. Think it needs more beefheart to round out!

[Discus-n00b]

Congrats thats awesome! Seems like a very welcome surprise, though a bit different I understand the feeling as I found a Tropheus juvi in my tank the other day totally unexpected. Knew they were breeding and holding but figured none of the eggs would make it...sure enough there is one picking at rocks. It's a great feeling when nature surprises you.

[Jenene]

Yay!!!! I have been waiting a very long time for them! Keep sending pics!
What do you feed tiny rat snakes? Tiny rats?:confused:

[brewmaster15]

baby mice. They call them pinkies.:)

[Jenene]

baby mice. They call them pinkies.:)

How are the kids going to like that food chain Al? :confused:

[brewmaster15]

Jenene,
whats really cool.is the kids raised the parents of this batch from eggs so its like they are the grand parents.My kids are perfectly fine with this. :)

[zimmjeff]

I thought that was a pretty excited title

for you.

[Jenene]

Jenene,
whats really cool.is the kids raised the parents of this batch from eggs so its like they are the grand parents.My kids are perfectly fine with this. :)

That is really cool Al...I figured they would be fine with it. You have raised them well to be curious and respectful...Love those two..wise beyond their years...those grandparents!!!

Your entire home is like a giant science lesson...DIY solar batteries, animals of every shape and size, gardens beyond belief...home made salsa!! The best project in my humble opinion...those kids are very lucky....just sayin.

[brewmaster15]

Thanks Jenene!:)

[brewmaster15]

one made it out completely and as I write this 3 more have started to hatch...very very cool. Id forgotten how awesome it was to see eggs hatch like this.:)
al

[Jenene]

Take video!!!! Please.
:p

[brewmaster15]

I would Jenene but it takes a longgggg time..hours actually!

[brewmaster15]

breaking through..

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al

[Jenene]

That is the coolest...
What about time lapse photography? Sounds like a project for 2 clever young people I know who happen to have an in house instructor...

[brewmaster15]

looks like I will have a total of 6 baby snakes here...5 have fully hatched ...one last one has his snout out .. the other eggs did not survive. 50% hatch rate is not bad at all for not even expecting eggs!

Im very happy right now. Its been a long time since we had baby snakes here.:)

[Jenene]

looks like I will have a total of 6 baby snakes here...5 have fully hatched ...one last one has his snout out .. the other eggs did not survive. 50% hatch rate is not bad at all for not even expecting eggs!

Im very happy right now. Its been a long time since we had baby snakes here.:)

Congratulations! That is really amazing! I bet they are just adorable. Many of my friends were surprised how much I enjoyed holding that one big snake when I was at your place. I have a new found respect for these creatures and the fact that they have reproduced shows the great care you are giving them. It will be fun watching them grow. I hope you continue to keep us posted on their progress!

Your kids are so lucky to be witnessing all of this!

[Second Hand Pat]

That is great news Al. I bet the kids will enjoy raising these guys. I love snakes and have handle them since I was a kid. Hope you keep the pictures coming. Just curious, what would you have done differently when expecting eggs?
Pat

[brewmaster15]

Pat its alot easier if you use an incubator. In the past I have made one from a fishtank.. aquarium heater and secondary container of sphagnum moss but this time I just didnt have time and the eggs could have sitting there for a week. I really didnt think they would hatch. I probably could have had all the eggs hatch if I had been better prepared.
oh well 6 is fine. they are all doing very well.

heres the first 5..the 6th hasnt come out yet...
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[Second Hand Pat]

When will you offer them the first meal Al? After they all finish hatching?
Pat

[brewmaster15]

Sometimes they eat right out of the shell, but most of the time we wait until after their first shed , with these guys that should be in about a week or so.

al

[Second Hand Pat]

They should be good and hungry by then. It is amazing how fast snakes grow when feed regularly. These guys are in excellent condition.
Pat

[Phillydubs]

Very cool and fascinating. I have always liked snakes but been sorta afraid of them...

Any pics of the parents? Their colors look nice, do they stay that way? What size are they now and how big can they get at adulthood?

[brewmaster15]

Phil these hatchlings are the size of a pencil at this point. They can grow between 6 and 8 feet long on average and live up to 20years. One of our adults is approaching that now.

You can see some pics I posted of them here...

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?113075-Breeding-my-snakes-this-year

[Phillydubs]

Thanks!! Care to expand on this further " for me none match up to rat snakes as far temperment and just plain coolness factor."

Would love to hear more. Do they like to be handled?

[brewmaster15]

Different species of snakes have different temperaments. Rat and corn snakes are easy to handle. They dont usually mind being handled. They rarely ever musk you.(think stinky skunk smell) . They are personable and easy to care for. King snakes and milk snakes are also very good temperament wise. The thing I like best about the ratsnakes is they are constrictors like boas and pythons but they do not ever get big enough to pose a threat to us or our children/dogs or cats. But being constrictors they are good climbers and they wrap around you. You can literally walk around with one as a bracelet for hours. They just are really cool. I used to do many reptile workshops with kids years back and the snakes are just the right size for kids to be enthralled,interested, not afraid and not in danger.

PYTHONS AND BOAS have size on their side but they arent always easy to handle. Some get too big for anyone but the experienced to care for . Though you can handle them they can bite and when they do it can be a big ouch! They also hunt by heat ... and we are warm blooded!

Of Course these are my personal views and Im sure other snake keepers are equally enamored with their favorite species.

[HappyFace]

Different species of snakes have different temperaments. Rat and corn snakes are easy to handle. They dont usually mind being handled. They rarely ever musk you.(think stinky skunk smell) . They are personable and easy to care for. King snakes and milk snakes are also very good temperament wise. The thing I like best about the ratsnakes is they are constrictors like boas and pythons but they do not ever get big enough to pose a threat to us or our children/dogs or cats. But being constrictors they are good climbers and they wrap around you. You can literally walk around with one as a bracelet for hours. They just are really cool. I used to do many reptile workshops with kids years back and the snakes are just the right size for kids to be enthralled,interested, not afraid and not in danger.

PYTHONS AND BOAS have size on their side but they arent always easy to handle. Some get too big for anyone but the experienced to care for . Though you can handle them they can bite and when they do it can be a big ouch! They also hunt by heat ... and we are warm blooded!

Of Course these are my personal views and Im sure other snake keepers are equally enamored with their favorite species.

They are beautiful! Do they stay pink? I used to have a boa. She got huge. After I became pregnant I gave her away. These look amazing though. I love the way you described them, their temperament and wearing them as a bracelet. I don't normally wear jewelry but I'd love to wear one of your snakes.:)

[Jenene]

They are beautiful! Do they stay pink? I used to have a boa. She got huge. After I became pregnant I gave her away. These look amazing though. I love the way you described them, their temperament and wearing them as a bracelet. I don't normally wear jewelry but I'd love to wear one of your snakes.:)


Having actually held one of Al's Rat snakes I must say he was very sweet! The only snake I've ever held but he was very patient with me. The snake and Al! :p It's funny because just yesterday one of my boys at school asked to see the photo and I actually found it. They really have beautiful coloring.

How are the babies doing now Al? When should the turtle eggs hatch?

[brewmaster15]

Its been a while since I updated on my "snakeskins":) I have 4 of the 5 that made it still. The 5th was a fussy eater and just would not eat on its own. The 4 I have are doing very well. Ones a tad smaller than its siblings due to a slow start eating but has been catching up. They are about 17 inches long right now at about 11 months. Its hard taking a group shot of teenage snakes but we tried.

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[two utes]

Looking great Al. How long do they actually get? Is there a good market for them or will you just keep them?

[brewmaster15]

Thanks Joe. They can get 5-8 feet so very manageable. I have sold them before. These arent too common.These would sell very quickly but I will be holding onto them. I have 3 generations now..I have the male from the original pair still plus 2 of its kids and then this group. I want to out cross them now to wild type Rat Snakes.

al

[Second Hand Pat]

I think they are gorgeous Al and I love snakes. If you breed one to a wild-type rat snake will you get a mix of albino and wild-type young?
Pat

[brewmaster15]

Thanks Pat! If I breed them to wilds I would get an F1 that looks wild and carries the albino Gene...Just like in Discus ... If I breed f1xf1.. Then I will get a mix of All wild type (25%), wild types carrying Albino (50%)genes and Albino snakes (25%).

al

[Second Hand Pat]

Albino intermediates :) I’ve heard of those before LOL
Pat

[two utes]

Thanks Joe. They can get 5-8 feet so very manageable. I have sold them before. These arent too common.These would sell very quickly but I will be holding onto them. I have 3 generations now..I have the male from the original pair still plus 2 of its kids and then this group. I want to out cross them now to wild type Rat Snakes.

al

I've always liked reptiles, but especially snakes. I've seen many out in the bush here, and even a few in my yard, but the only problem is that they are very venomous. Good luck with your breeding project.

[brewmaster15]

I know Joe you guys got the lions share of poison critters! And your venomous snakes are cobra related and some of the worst bad boys out there.Nothing like having 100 different species of poisonous snakes out of 170 different species! Here in CT, We have 2 poisonous and a handful not poisonous..and the ones we have arent anywhere near as bad as yours! Between that and 187 species of carnivorous plants...Im jealous as all heck!

al

[Jody]

Those snakes are awesome - we have rat snakes out here in Tennessee that I have ran into over the years.

I would be curious to see what the cross between a black rat snake and an albino would look like.

[Jenene]

That’s incredible Al. The fact that you weren’t expecting them and they look great! I was just wondering about them since it was about a year ago I remember hearing they had laid eggs or I was wondering if they had hatched. It was around the time our sail club does a clambake which is coming up next week.

Your pics are great... maybe it will start a new trend.... I mean the Teenage muntant turtles went wild.... Why not snakes???

[dagray]

Al,
Why is it that I now have Frank Zappa's song "Baby Snakes" stuck in my head?????

Darn you man!

[Adam S]

Al, what's the difference between rat and corn snakes? Google says corn snakes are a type of rat snake, but I've never heard of the latter.

[brewmaster15]

Al, what's the difference between rat and corn snakes? Google says corn snakes are a type of rat snake, but I've never heard of the latter.

There you go.. just goes to show you can't believe everything google says!Lol. well its not entirely wrong. Rat snakes and corn snakes are closely related. They are members of the same Genus ( Pantherophis), but different species. They are so closely related they can hybridize.. The term "rat snake" is a broad general one for many species.Mine are albino Black Ratsnakes, Pantherophis obsoletus Corn snakes don't get as big as Black Ratsnakes can and tend to be more gentle and less prone to biting they say. .. they are your typical petshop corn snakes.. and literally have been cross bred much like our domestic discus.

I prefer the Black Ratsnakes and Grey Ratsnakes.... but I have had some beautiful corn snakes over the years.

al

[brewmaster15]

Summers over now and as usual, my Albino rat snakes bred , laying eggs in July, and they have been hatching the last week.. We got 18 eggs this time, one of her biggest clutches. From them 13 eggs have hatched, the 5 remaining may still hatch but I'm guessing not.

I still have 4 of the ones from the last batch in 2017, and the grandfather and parents of them. They are really great critters to keep. Easy and interesting to watch. Looking back now, I think I have been keeping Rat snakes for something like 35 years now... had snakes before Discus by a few years.



al

[brewmaster15]

Pics...

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al

[Second Hand Pat]

Those little guys are cute as can be Al. If I was close and you will willing to part with one I would be over in a heartbeat. :)
Pat