Introduction Methods and Technical Key Points for Breeding Snakes

The quality of snake introduction for breeding affects the survival rate and reproductive capacity of the snakes. To obtain breeding snakes, one may, after approval from the relevant management department, go into the wild to catch snakes oneself; if local snake resources are scarce, breeding snakes need to be introduced.

1. The best season for introduction is spring and autumn

In spring, the weather is suitable, and shortly after introduction the snakes can enter the egg-laying or birthing period, which is especially suitable for beginners. Autumn is also a good season for introduction, because the weather in autumn is neither too cold nor too hot, and it is the peak season for snakes to hunt and feed, as well as the time when they are at their strongest in the year. Breeders located a little farther away can introduce breeding snakes in this season. It is more suitable for beginners to start raising half-grown snakes (young adult snakes). This is because half-grown snakes are better than small snake hatchlings in growth, disease resistance and feeding, and can adapt more quickly to a new living environment.

2. Introduction from artificially raised snake farms

Breeding snakes should be introduced from snake farms with a breeding scale, and the breeding snakes should come from different locations, so as to prevent inbreeding as much as possible. Do not buy snakes sold by snake traders in snake markets or farmers' markets, in order to avoid buying inferior snakes that have just been force-fed or stuffed with sand or injected with water, or venomous snakes whose fangs have been pulled out.

3. Catching or purchasing breeding snakes

When selecting parent stock, they must be long in body and robust. The size specifications for selecting and introducing breeding snakes are: generally small varieties should be 100-200 grams, medium varieties 150-350 grams each, and large varieties 250-600 grams. Those that are lively and active, with good stretching elasticity, fierce and spirited, with full and cylindrical muscles, glossy and shiny body surface, bright and vivid skin patterns and colors, and no injuries or diseases are the best. For those for which it is temporarily difficult to determine whether there are diseases or injuries, they can first be isolated for trial raising.

To check whether a snake has internal injuries, place the snake on the ground to crawl and observe whether it moves flexibly and naturally; or hold the head and tail with both hands and pull it straight naturally; if the snake has a strong curling ability, it indicates there are no internal injuries; otherwise it cannot be used as a breeding snake. If the skin is slightly injured but there are no internal injuries, as long as iodine tincture is applied and it heals before long, it can still be used as a breeding snake. Next, check whether it has a gallbladder. Some snake catchers cut open the snake gallbladder with a sharp blade and then sew it up with a needle before taking it to the market for sale; this kind of snake without a gallbladder can still survive for some time, but cannot be selected and kept for breeding. Again, check whether the fangs are complete. For those purchasing venomous snakes for breeding, it is also necessary to open the snake's mouth to check whether it has complete fangs. This is because some snake catchers, after catching a snake, in order to avoid being harmed by the fangs, open the snake's mouth and roughly pull out the fangs with a sharp tool. This kind of snake without venom fangs is mostly difficult to keep alive afterward, so it cannot be selected and kept for breeding. If a snake is found to have a dull expression, is unwilling to stick out its tongue, is thin and weak in body, has dry and loose scales, and has lost its luster in color, this kind of snake may have contracted a disease and is also not suitable for selection and retention for breeding. When introducing young breeding snakes, attention should be paid to a reasonable matching of females and males. Generally, the female-to-male ratio is 5:1.