Re: Very nice !

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Posted by Jeremy G on January 09, 2003 at 07:54:07:

In Reply to: Re: Very nice ! posted by BrianNielsen on January 09, 2003 at 06:49:20:

Hi again Brian,
Judgeing from your post I guess your not in the US right? Sorry to sound alittle stern about the cool down then. The thing I hate about trying to breed the Aspidelaps or many other African snakes here in the US is the season are always turneed around. I cool mine down the same time as all of the native stuff when actually I should be doing so in our summer(which is the winter over there). Im starting to think this may be one of the reasons people have such crappy luck produceing them here in the US. Though I know it can be done, obviously (had to get mine somwhere)I think it would be much easier in Africa. (well duh :-)

Regarding size differences in the ssp, Im curious, how big is the biggest infuscatus you have seen? The reason i ask is im trying to see if I have a freak in my female intergrade or if she is just normal size for an infuscatus adult. Everyone who has seen here and knows of Aspidelaps drops there jaws to the floor. Just curious how my big girl contends for the heavy weight title of Aspidelaps:-)

One last thing. Regarding your point about the weight and girth of infuscatus compared too lubricus, what would you lable the male so caled lubricus that Snakes and stuff pictured at the bottom of his post? I have a male infuscatus(was sold to me as such)which looks damn near identical to his. Tail scale count came out heavily on the infuscatus side yet he has retained most of his lubricus look(just like S&S's with the darker redish tone and less defined banding)). Compared to my no question male lubricus, he is alittle fatter and just as long. However, hes a yearling!!! Im fairly sure he is an infuscatus but I quess he could be an intergrade too. have you seen many or any infuscatus which retained the lubricus look like his/mine does?

Well man, enough Aspidelaps talk for now:-) Good luck with the breding projects and hopefully we noth get a splended supirse in the up and coming months. With all good luck, Ill produce both species this year!! Fingers crossed.

Take care,
J

:Hi,
:yes they had a short burmation period and I used water to stimulate them.
:My Aspidelaps l. lubricus adulte females are only about 50-55 cm and they are 3-4 years old. The males are a little shorter. The Aspidelaps l. infuscatus on the other hand are about 70-80 cm for the females and 55 cm for the males. So it is my experience that infuscatus is bigger and about 2-3 times as heavy as lubricus.
:I have not tryed to breed my A.l.lubricus yet but I will use a tropical cooldown to about 20C at night and 24-25 in the daytime. The light will be turned off most of the day and only used for 1-2 hours a day so that the snakes have the opotunity to warm up. When I go back to normal I will use water to stimulate breeding.
:Best regards
:Brian

::Hi Brian,
::Im curious, did you burmate your Aspidelaps? If not, did you give them any sort of cool down or fasting period? The reason I ask is it seems cool down is esential to sucsessful reproduction with this sp. My pair of Lubricus(actually the female is an intergrade but looks pure pub)went at it hardcore last year, several times and my female ended up produceing 2 clutches of infertiles on me. Its seems the males was shooting blanks. i know with alot of other snakes burmation seems to play a role in sperm reliability and production and from the evidence that I have gatherd(both from my and many other peoples attemps)Aspidelaps seem to fall into this catogorey. Being that you said they are going at it right now made me wonder. You must keep in mind that they do experince a winter period and it would seem alot of people state side do not supply them with this because of their African origin.

::Another question, while introduced, what are you doing to stimulate mateing? With all of my Aspidelaps(lubricus ssp and scutatus)misting was a vital key in getting them in the mood. Hell, my male scutatus would try and rape the female within seconds of water hitting the cage. Though it sounds like yours are doing just fine on their own, for the lubricus, I would highly recomend it if you hadnt planned on it.

::Well man, nice looking critters and I wish you alot of luck with them. BTW, if you produce any PURE lubricus (Must not have even a trase of infuscatus in em)I am in desprate need of a female. Let me know and Ill do the same(Ill be putting mine together in alittle over a month(after they have been brought back up to temp and fed)

::Take care and heres a pic of my intergrade female and adult male lub.
::
::Thefemale is the larger one:-) She measured at 34 inches the last time I took her out! She is far and away the biggest CC I have ever seen!! The male, at just over 20, is 4 yrs old! She is a few months younger then him!!!! I guess that infuscatus blood really does make a difference, huh?:-)

::Peace,
::J

::
:::It is also my favorite snake and I have 2.2 Aspidelaps l. infuscatus breeding right now and I will try to get my 4.2 Aspidelaps l. lubricus started later this year.
:::If anyone know where I can get Aspidelaps l. cowlesi I would be very happy !
:::Try to look at my snakes on http://community.webshots.com/user/briannielsen

:::

::::Hey, I got some more Aspidelaps... Gotta love them.

::::I have 1.1 Aspidelaps lubricus lubricus, and I just picked up 1.1 Aspidelaps lubricus infuscatus last night! Awesome little animals!

::::Anyway, enjoy!

::::