Breeding cheynei (temps/weight)

[slacker]

This year will be my first attempt at breeding jungles, so I'm after some advice on temps, cycling and weights.

From the research I've done, it seems to be best to provide normal heating for eight hours a day through the winter period, with cool nights.

Given my location (Brisbane) and the ambient temps in the room where they are housed, I expect to be able to do this with no heating at all over the nights.

I've looked up climatic data for the Atherton region and noted that winter minimums are around the 10-12c mark. I'm thinking 15c is a safer minimum--would I be correct?

What is an ideal weight for breeding, also, male and female? Mine are approximately:

M: 4yo, 5ft, 1.5kg
F: 6yo, 6ft, 2.3kg

Should I maintain these weights, or beef them up more? I understand it's best for the males to be "lean and mean."

Thanks everyone!

 

[Colin]

I really dont weigh my jungles so cant be certain of weights. I really just look at them to tell if I think they need beefing up. Males always do better a bit lean and mean

For temperature cycling and photoperiods I'd suggest having a look at Simons articles on his website. The one that deals with temps / photoperiods is at link http://www.southernxreptiles.com/RA BreedingPythons2.htm that may help you.

 

[slacker]

Great, thanks Colin

I actually looked at that article, but I missed the part where he said he uses those temps for carpets as well. I only saw him mention aspidites & antaresia.

Thanks again!

 

[Colin]

no probs. he actually say for photoperiod::

the method I am about to describe below has now yielded us 100% success with all our woma, black-headed python, jungle carpet, inland carpet, Darwin carpet, Bredli, large-blotched pythons and Stimson pythons for at least the last five years

and for room temperatures:

However, as a rule of thumb for the majority of our womas, black-headed pythons, carpets and Children’s pythons the following temperatures are a good guide. These temperatures represent the average room temperatures for each season with spring and autumn also showing the extent of the rise and fall in average temperatures over the period.

and for cage temperatures

The actual cage temperatures differ from these room temperatures because of the thermal properties of the cages and the additional heat from the basking sites. Again as a rule of thumb, to calculate ambient cage temperatures you need to add about 2 oC to the daytime maximums and 1oC to the night-time temperatures.

But for individual species maybe these need to be tweaked a bit. but its a good guide. but flat cooling methods are also used with great success by a lot of breeders too.

 

[slacker]

Thanks again, Colin

For everyone who may be interested in answers to the questions I asked above, what follows in my post is an edited version of information passed to me by Mark (morelia_morphs), in regard to breeding cheynei. All facts and figures remain unchanged, I've just edited the structure.

I have bred them several different ways, but I have been most successful at doing so when giving them the ideal night time drop. The night time low seems to be the key that triggers the males. I have bred jungle females using higher temps but it was a pain getting the males to work consistently.

The weights of your male and female sound right. I have bred jungle males that are only 600 grams.

Your summer temps are fine [32c hot spot / ~24 nights].

Following are the temperatures I use:

May: Day time temps of 26c with a hot spot of 32. Night time low of 18c. 12hrs heat (day).
June: Day time temps of 24c with a hot spot of 31. Night time low of 16c.
July: Same as June but with the odd night time low of 14c.

I introduce the jungles in the first week of July. I maintain the above temperatures right up till the females start ovulating, then the females get bumped to 24 hrs heat. Jungles like warm days and can take very cold nights. Night time lows in the Atherton tablelands often get down to 10 degrees [celcius] over night. If you keep your jungles too warm I find the males don't breed as well.

Thank you, Mark, and thank you again, Colin