Can you breed anytime of the year?

[Calift]

I know garter snakes are naturally breeding in the spring, but I am just curious- in captivity would it possible to breed any time of the year (if you don't brumate)?

[GarterGeek]

I had my one male get a little too friendly with a (pregnant) female in the middle of last summer. It can definitely happen, but I wouldn't count on it.

[BUSHSNAKE]

Spring breedings increase your chances for success...keep it simple

[ConcinusMan]

Yes, personally, I can breed any day of the year.

As far as the snakes go, some garter snakes are known to breed without all-out brumating, especially those from milder climates where brumating is not always necessary. Still, if you want to breed them your chances of success are limited unless you give them about 4 months of 8-10 hour days and temperatures about 45-55. Do that only if your snakes are in top health and are not under fed.

Generally speaking, the farther from the equator you go, the less likely a native snake is to breed without it brumating first and then being convinced it's spring. You could do that any time of year but it's just easier to go with the natural seasons. At or near the equator where temperature and daylength do not change much or at all, snakes are triggered by other factors such as the end of a long dry spell (and possibly estivation) followed by daily rain, high humidity and higher overnight lows. Unlike tropical snakes however, garters usually need that cool period to build up body chemistry necessary to support sexual attraction and development of eggs and sperm. I've had no luck at all with actually producing offspring after a brumation period of less than 3 months. Better luck with 4 months and no higher than 55 degrees.

The largest litter I ever had (54) followed a brumation period of 19 weeks and a few times the snakes got down to 42 degrees for a few days. I also did not breed them the previous year, but they got a mild cool down for 3 months anyway.(50-60 degrees) But those details could just coincidence.

My snakes rarely showed any sexual interest toward the female unless she had came out of brumation in the previous couple of weeks. If there is no attraction, there's no mating. It's possible to breed a male that has not brumated to a female that has, but it's still a good idea to brumate them both. There are infrequent exceptions where successful breeding has taken place unplanned and unbrumated.

I had my one male get a little too friendly with a (pregnant) female in the middle of last summer. It can definitely happen, but I wouldn't count on it.

Likely, that was the result of sex hormones leaking from the female since she was gravid. I've had that happen and every time she was giving birth, he was trying to mate with her at the same time. Pigs do the same thing. Had to separate them.

[Calift]

Excellent information! Thank you for the responses!!

Looks like I will not be breeding this year...guess I'll just have to buy some little worms from all of you!

[ConcinusMan]

Why? What do you have now and why do you want to breed? Answer honestly and there may be an alternative.

[Calift]

Oh there's nothing I have to breed now....lol...that is the problem!

I won't be at any reptile times anytime soon (maybe at the end of the summer??), nor will I be able to order any one. I have a female sirtalis, but no male and it would be nice to have babies later on in the summer, though I don't think it would be possible now.

[ConcinusMan]

Sounds like you need to aquire a male by summers end, then brumate them this winter.