another dumb question

[vwsrcool]

do you have to hibernate both male and female? last year when we got our femalle cali. red spot female that was allready hibernated and put her in with our male that wasnt hibernated they started to mate right away, if i just hibernate the females will the males still be willing?:confused:

[ssssnakeluvr]

they need to go thru the cool down period also.

[enigma200316]

they need to go thru the cool down period also.


I agree with Don, better to do both of them.............:)

[mikm]

Hey Ben, I was just wondering the same thing. I house my garters together by sub-species and they mate like crazy pretty much every time the females shed, just no babies. I figure if I want to make babies I would brumate both male & female just to be sure.

Enjoy Your Day :)

[RZL36]

MikeM, where in Jersey are you from?

[mikm]

Hello, I am in Cherry Hill, NJ. About 15 minutes east of center city Philadelphia.

Best,

[Thamnophis]

It seems that males who are hibernated produce better sperm.

[Snaky]

This does not mean that if you don't brumate them, that you won't get any offspring... There is just more chance if you brumate both.

[CrazyHedgehog]

this year I have had ....

32 common red sided garters,
13 Canadian plains..
and 26 Florida Blues...

And I haven't brumated.....

I daren't this year if it increases offspring:eek:

[ssssnakeluvr]

I would say the only dumb question is one not asked.....feel free to ask anything. I do have an example of a dumb question....I was at work as an animal control officer for the county. I was in uniform in my work truck with the words "salt lake county animal services" on large letters on the door of my truck. I stopped at the sheriff's office to talk to my wife on the way home. a lady comes up to my truck, looks at me and asks if I work for animal services.....d'oh! I wanted to tell her not to say a word to anyone as I had stolen the truck and uniform that just happened to fit me and was running around stealing dogs and selling them......but I didn't. I laughed when she asked me that....she wanted to know why I was laughing... some real geniuses here..... :cool:

[sschind]

Or the guy who looked at my tank full of Black Tetras and White Tetras and asked "which ones are the White Tetras"

[MoJo]

When I hear and experience brilliance like the two previous posts I realize why human beings make the messes they make!

Back to the subject at hand. I do not brumate - my first time ocellatus female and male made 12 babies - 2 stillborn, 1 died later and I am left with one out of the nine left that will not eat and I believe will need to be culled.

Joanna

[zooplan]

Hibernation(or even a sequence of seasons) is needed more by the males to have strong production of sperms.
For the feamles its better to set thier organic clock right.
If garters are hibernated its easier to control the time of birth.

[adamanteus]

I agree with most of the others, it is best to hibernate both males and females to get the best chances of successful reproduction.

[Lulu Bennett]

when do you guys stop feeding and start tirning the light and heat down?

[Snaky]

Begin November is the last time I feed, 3 weeks after that I decrease the temparature/ light duration. And 2 weeks after that they are hibernating :)

[adamanteus]

About the same with me. Although I have already stopped feeding one or two, which were 'slowing down' on their feeding anyway.