Re: more on wintering conditions of E. situla........>

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Posted by Ray Loraine on January 17, 2001 at 18:24:49:

In Reply to: more on wintering conditions of E. situla........> posted by Terry on January 16, 2001 at 16:59:17:

Hi Terry & Sacha - I hope this finds you both doing well. Some of my best breeding of situla was when I lived in north Florida and was able to keep brumating animals in the low 50's mid/high 40's. I think we would all agree that there is some "magic" temperature that we must get our animals below. Here in southern Florida I've had it even harder than Sacha. So far this year and last year I wasn't able to get my animals much below the upper 50's. So far this year I've only had my animals down for about three weeks because of unseasonably high temps. I can't get them much below 56-58. From last year I do know that situla and hohenackeri males will mate and produce sperm when brumated at these marginal temperatures for 8 or more weeks. I got clutches from males of both. But the fecundity of the clutches was poor and I only produced 2 viable situla young. If I had the means - I'd keep my situla between the mid 40's and low 50's for 8 to 12 weeks. Based on my production previously, this seems to be adequate to get highly successful clutches. On the low end - I once had a cold incubator fail freezing hard a situal male and some corns. The surviving corns that were partially frozen when discovered bred successfully in the spring.

These warm temperatures are killing me. I'm actually only brumating my males. I'm feeding my females all winter to build up body weight and hope that day length and breeding activity by males in the spring will be enough to induce successful ovulation. I'll let you know.

Cheers. Ray

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Thanks, Ray.....> Terry 01/17/01 (0)

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: Hi Terry & Sacha - I hope this finds you both doing well. Some of my best breeding of situla was when I lived in north Florida and was able to keep brumating animals in the low 50's mid/high 40's. I think we would all agree that there is some "magic" temperature that we must get our animals below. Here in southern Florida I've had it even harder than Sacha. So far this year and last year I wasn't able to get my animals much below the upper 50's. So far this year I've only had my animals down for about three weeks because of unseasonably high temps. I can't get them much below 56-58. From last year I do know that situla and hohenackeri males will mate and produce sperm when brumated at these marginal temperatures for 8 or more weeks. I got clutches from males of both. But the fecundity of the clutches was poor and I only produced 2 viable situla young. If I had the means - I'd keep my situla between the mid 40's and low 50's for 8 to 12 weeks. Based on my production previously, this seems to be adequate to get highly successful clutches. On the low end - I once had a cold incubator fail freezing hard a situal male and some corns. The surviving corns that were partially frozen when discovered bred successfully in the spring. : These warm temperatures are killing me. I'm actually only brumating my males. I'm feeding my females all winter to build up body weight and hope that day length and breeding activity by males in the spring will be enough to induce successful ovulation. I'll let you know. : Cheers. Ray

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