T. eques cuitzeoensis behaviour

[chris-uk]

Hopefully they are just getting some practice, we don't really want baby snakes until next year. How long can garters keep up a courtship? I'm sure they haven't locked yet and I'd prefer it if the male took a cold shower.
I watched a couple of Steve's videos on YouTube, and it looks painful for the male...

[guidofatherof5]

Just practicing. Now that's funny. Garter snakes don't practice. They don't need it.
Lock-ups can happen quickly and last a short time. I'd mark this date on a calendar.

Looking forward to seeing babies 60-120 days from now.

[chris-uk]

At 15 months is this about right for the first bit of xxx rated snake action?
I read that the female can store sperm for months before using it, is that why you say 60-120 days Steve? To take into account that you can't be sure whether fertilisation happens now or in a couple of months. I'd better do some more reading about what to expect and what to look out for.

[guidofatherof5]

I say 60-120 days only in that there seems to be a wide range of gestation times for garter snakes.
I've personally never had a snake go past 70 days after copulation.
I know other member have had snakes go well past that amount of time.

[kibakiba]

When it comes to northwesterns at least, females can retain sperm until the right time. I don't thing the other species can hold it quite as long as a NW can. Not too sure on that, though. Don't quote me on it

[chris-uk]

Time for another update now that "El Mariachi" (as we call Vlad and Lacrimosa collectively) are settled into their new permanant (until we move them to the 90cm Exo Terra next year) viv.

So they're now in a 60x45x45 Exo Terra viv, with a large water bowl, log hide, silk plants, bit of rock, under-floor heating, over-head spotlight, and aspen floor cover. And a kitchen roll tube. The seem quite comfortable in there and are gradually getting more accustomed to being in the corner of our living room with all the activity that entails.

Last night they ate for the first time since we picked them up, both are still too nervy to tong feed, but neither could resist the tempatation when I set out a bowl of salmon pieces outside their hide. I was a bit nervous for them because with them being nervy I wasn't hovering over them with the viv door open, but I was ready to intervene if they went for the same piece. Fortunately, Vlad was a gent and let Lacrimosa eat first, then when she moved away he ate. There was just one moment when I worried that she was going to try to steal his salmon, but having kept the pieces small they were both swallowing quickly enough that there wasn't any real danger.

I had offered them pinkies a couple of days ago and trout, but they both refused those, although at that time I was just trying to tong feed. Once I have them tong feeding I plan to encourage them to feed in the water as they would do in the wild. Yes, I'm determined to try to stimulate their natural fishing behaviour (but without resorting to feeding live guppies).

So, other than the latest feeding behaviour... We tend to still see a lot of heads poking out that disappear quickly when you move towards them. They are getting braver and staying out longer and coming back out quicker. They've let me touch them without running for cover a few times as well, so the slow process of building up trust is moving along, slowly. I'm hoping after another feed they will start associating me with food .

With them being so nervy I've not managed any great pictures. When I do you know I'll share them with you.

[chris-uk]

Just after I posted that last update I did a round of the vivs to check up on the snakes, and found the Cuitzeo pair locked up. That was about an hour and half ago, and it looks like they are still going... although I have to say that Vlad looks like he just wants out. She's dragged him into their half-log hide and he keeps trying to come out before he realises that he now needs to go wherever she is, and he gets dragged uncermoniously back into the hide.
I've filled the two SD cards on my camera, so now I have Char's camera pointing into the hide.

More updates coming when there's something to update you with.

[guidofatherof5]

"The Joy of Snake Sex" wasn't that a book?

[chris-uk]

We missed the disengagement, it happened while I was picking Char up from work, and her camera had run out of memory to film it. Reviewing the video there's a lot of, "Oooo", "Ow", and "Poor Vlad" moments. It was like he'd got his tackle caught in a washing machine on a spin cycle...
I'll edit the video clips and post a few highlights. At the moment Vlad is having a bath, he just needs a smoking jacket and a cigarette in a holder. Here he is, not a great picture, but you get the idea:
IMAG0106.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Everything back where it belongs on Vlad?