Hi all,

Is there anybody on here who has bred D. polylepis? I currently have 2 males and 1 female – I’ve been spraying them 2-3 times per day and rotating the males, sometimes keeping 2 in with her at a time, over the last 3 weeks she has been hiding in the trap box, where I still continue to spray through the entrance. She seems to be moping around and not that active – yesterday I lifted her back-end up and it looks like there are bumps underneath, maybe this is just wishful thinking because I cannot remember what she looked like before I was cycling her, any ideas? Do they swell up on the sides, or look much different? I remember my Pakistan black cobras last year looked no different!

She has been spending much of her time with the male/males in the trap box, but I’ve witnessed no mating outside the box in eyes reach (Although, I don’t spend all that much time in the venomous room).

Cheers,

Dave

Hi David
I'm not looking for "swell ups" - except those clearly visible a short time before deposition of the eggs
Actually, mating and pre mating behaviour in Dendraspis polylepis can hardly be overlooked (and overheared) - it's one of the "heaviest" pre mating behaviour in snakes at all.
The male rocks the females body and tail periodically like hell - all the adjacent cages vibrate and i'm able to hear that one floor higher.
Copulation usually lasts for several hours - the established recordof my breeding pair here is measured 18 (!!) hours, they usually do not like "quickies".
Due to my experiences, the chances for copulations without this well pronounced pre mating behaviour are poor.
I have a short period of slightly lesser temperatures (October, November). End of november, temperatures are increased again and (almost) daily, short showers are given.
This seems to work pretty good here - no guarantee it will work at your place, but it's worth a try.

Best regards
Peter

Hi Peter,

That has realy helped me, as I said I've not seen any mating but I do only visit the room once or twice per day. Would yu say mating takes place mainly in the day or evening?

Fingers crossed for me ;-)

Cheers,

Dave

Hi David,
It might be worth talking to Peter Pastor on here.


Oh and let’s hope ViperLover never finds his way over here!

Hi David
most copulations here have started in the late afternoon or early evening but that's not enough to make a strict rule out of it - could depend on the climatical and/or temporal parameters here.

and, yeah - fingers crossed for you!

Peter

Any ideas guys? She has been spending plenty of time under the heat bulb, she's never been the best feeder but it's been well over a month since she last took any food - although i've seen no mating, she has had 2 males rotated with her and I think I can see swelling underneath.

I'm really not sure though!!!???

Best way to see it in the later phase of pregnancy is to have the female hanging it's rear part down while climbing:


My female has taken food until a couple o' days before egg deposition - but she's a very good feeder and this cannot be taken as a rule, of course.

Peter

Thanks Peter, I guess I'll just have to wait and see - the more I stand there and look at her, the more its making go mad

Cheers,

Dave

Goodluck with the breeding David.