# Corn snake breeding.



## strongboW (Dec 12, 2007)

I am strongly thinking about breeding corn snakes next year, but I have a few questions for the more experienced people. 



Are rubs ok to keep freshly born snakes in?
Keep them on kitchen roll?
Best way to heat
Hides- Kitchen roll tubes?
How big can the clutches be?
Thanks I may ask more when they come to my head.


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## xxx_phoenix_xxx (Sep 25, 2009)

hi we bred corns this year all of what you have suggested is what we used so no probs there :2thumb: we used a heat cable to heat all the rubs and our clutch size was thirteen in the first lot and then our second lot was only six so i guess it varies but both clutches were off the same female so that could be why the second clutch was smaller.
if you need any more info just pm me and good luck : victory:


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## paulh (Sep 19, 2007)

No RUBs on this side of the pond. I've used plastic boxes approximately 12x5x4 inches for babies. RUBs around that size should be fine.

Kitchen roll should be fine.

There are lots of ways to heat. Use the way you like best.

Hides: Wad up a quarter sheet of newspaper. The babies get in the folds. I don't think kitchen roll tubes give them any sense of security.

25 is the largest clutch of eggs I've heard of. 22 was my biggest clutch.


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

I've heard of clutches in the mid to high thirties, and I'm sure Cornmorphs mentioned he'd had 42 once, although that could have been a clutch and double clutch. My smallest clutch has been 16 eggs; my largest complete clutch was 24.

If you counted all the eggs, from first *and *second clutch, as one year's production, if I hadn't gotten a significant number of slugs out of the second clutch last year, Mica would have produced around 48 eggs total.

I don't like RUBs for TINY babies - the gap between the lid and the tub might be just big enough for a small one to get through. I use cricket boxes (the good kind with long-slot ventilation) until they're big enough to go into RUBs - four or five feeds down 'em.

Before you breed, you should strongly consider the following questions:

1. Do you have the money to buy thirty enclosures (and appropriately heat them) ?
2. Do you have the money for thirty pinky mice every five to seven days?
3. Do you have the space to bring up thirty young snakes if you cannot sell them?
4. Do you have definite buyers for thirty baby snakes?
5. Are you expecting to sell corn snakes for more than £10 - £20 each? If so, who to?
6. If you're trying to sell privately, are you prepared for how LONG it might take to sell the snakes, given that there are umpteen time-wasters out there, and people who pull out at the last minute?


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## strongboW (Dec 12, 2007)

Ssthisto

I have conciderd all these factors I wont be breeding until at least another year or so. I am going to buy things starting from now and then not breed till everything is set up perfectly I am not doing it for profit I am doing it because I love snakes If I was to sell them I would be selling for around £15 depending on the morphs. I also have a local petshop I am going to ask before breeding if they would buy any of me in bulk at a cheap price. Aswell as keeping a few for my self ready for breeding yet again.

So as said above I am not going to breed until I have everything I need.

- Thanks


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't rely on pet shops. First, you will be lucky to get much more than £5 each. Secondly, they may well tell you they will take some, but by the time they are ready they may no longer have space, or have got some even cheaper from elsewhere. My local shop has told me every week for the last 6 weeks they will take some "next week when there's space". And the next week its the same story.


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## strongboW (Dec 12, 2007)

Hmmm, I should still manage to have room for 30 babies anyway. Maybee 20 fully grown ones also.


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## Grond (Jun 17, 2008)

strongboW said:


> Hmmm, I should still manage to have room for 30 babies anyway. Maybee 20 fully grown ones also.


 
What will you do with the other 10+? Smallest I've had out of a pair this year is two clutches of 14 healthy per clutch, so thirty is realistic.

I've sold some of mine for £5 each this year and still struggling!


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I would not keep hatchlings in rubs, the lids have a small lip and a hatchling corn snake CAN escape from a RUB. You want a small container with a secure lid that does not have a gap in it, as this is asking for trouble. I use flip tubs, they cost about 60p each.

My smallest clutch in one go was 6 and my largest 35.

£5 is about right to shops on normals and £15-20 privately depending on your area and your luck.


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## strongboW (Dec 12, 2007)

Were are this tubs from mate.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

strongboW said:


> Were are this tubs from mate.


A lot of reptile shops will sell them these days, this is the one shop I know sells them online

Tubs, Boxes & Pots - Cornish Crispa Co.


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## strongboW (Dec 12, 2007)

Thanks mate, Thinkin about making myself a rack best way of heating them?


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## beaniebopps (Oct 4, 2009)

I've made 2 racks now for corn babies. Last year was different from this years but have the same concept. I dont use heat tape, I use a 47" x 11" heat mat on a stat up the back, and the boxes sit on shelves in front of the mat. 

12" tub also seems a little big for a new hatchling. Whatever you use just make it secure. I used klip fresh boxes from tecos because they clip down on all 4 sides and then I soldered air holes, but they were on offer at the time and are usually a little pricey (£3 each or so)

Last year I was still in Northern Ireland and I had 22 babies in first clutch. I ended up selling 15 or so to a reptile shop at about £12 each (mix of normals, snows, amels & anerys) and the rest of them privately at £15 or £20 for a snow. Seems I may not sell them as easily over here but we will see lol 

I think the main cost I didnt forsee so well tbh was feeding the little blighters. I fed every 5 days and was paying 50p a pinky so that was more than £10 a week.


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## beaniebopps (Oct 4, 2009)

Here ya go... The first couple pics show my first rack. It holds 22 tubs. The 2nd one I've built now sits lengthways (fits ontop of my viv adults stack) and has no shelves so more flexible on diff sizes of stackable tubs. Its got 2 heat mats which can be turned on and off seperately but linked into one mat stat just.


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## strongboW (Dec 12, 2007)

So can I put mats at the back and use heat stips and have the same effectiveness as underneath and this is ok?


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

strongboW said:


> So can I put mats at the back and use heat stips and have the same effectiveness as underneath and this is ok?


Yes many racks are heated from the back. You just want to make sure the tubs are big enough to have a gradient from front to back (if a heat mat was underneath, the gradient would be side to side), as you will still need to provide a warmer/cooler area if possible for the snakes.


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