Breeding

[Edcase]

My two checkered garters are acting strange. I found the two raped around each other this morning (at first i thought the larger of the two was eating the smaller :S my heart was pounding lol, that wasnt the case though) they dont usually get so close together like this they seem to keep . I also found one of them chasing the other around the viv?

Is this some sort of mating or are they fighting? theyve never had a problem before and i cant be sure if they are male and female?

Update ive just seen one of themsort of "rippiling" up the other?

[Odie]

Sounds like the lead up to breeding

[Edcase]

Ive been carefully watchin them and i would agree lol...Ill have to see what happens but any advice on IF babies do appear, what i should do would be appreciated. Ive never seen them "at it" before is it certain times of the month??

[drache]

it's more a time-of-year thing
you do have three months and then some until you can expect little ones
so you've got time to get the bunk beds ready

[GarterGirl]

Thats what Sammy and Boyfriend did.
Good luck with the babies!

[Sid]

Does sound like mating to me. You'll have 90 to 120 days until "delivery". I keep gravid female in and enclosure by themselves when they get close to time. Removes the chance of other individuls deciding to make a snake of a little one. Then I move the newborns to small containers.

[adamanteus]

Hi Joe. Yeah, that's breeding behaviour... the one doing the 'rippling' is the male. As Sid suggested, you should separate the female as she nears her time... marcianus males are known to eat the babies as they are born. Good luck and keep us posted.

[GarterGirl]

marcianus males are known to eat the babies as they are born. Good luck and keep us posted.

And Joe, be careful cause this weird snake called James Sirtalis or somethin like that might try to eat them too!

[Sputnik]

Removes the chance of other individuls deciding to make a snake of a little one.

You mean a snack, right?

[anji1971]

Probably a snake-snack!!