Detailed Explanation of Key Points in Breeding Snake Rearing and Management Techniques

The quality of rearing and management of breeding snakes affects the reproduction rate of breeding snakes, the hatching rate of eggs, the survival rate, disease resistance, growth speed, and the venom yield of venomous snakes, among other aspects. Below is an explanation of the key points in breeding snake rearing and management techniques.

I. Rearing and Management During the Breeding Period

The following measures should be implemented properly according to physiological characteristics:

1. Arrange a certain isolation area within the snake enclosure, or keep them in snake rooms, snake pools, or snake boxes, placing male and female snakes together for rearing, which facilitates mating. The ratio of male to female snakes in each group is generally 5:1-8:1. This ratio can both ensure that female snakes can successfully mate and avoid wasting male snakes. As for how many female snakes, it depends on the physical condition and mating ability of the male snake. This is because one male snake can successively mate with several female snakes, while a female snake will not mate again after mating once, and can still produce fertilized eggs for 2-3 consecutive years, but the quality of such fertilized eggs is relatively poor. Before mating, both male and female snakes do not eat much. During this period, their favorite foods can be provided, but the quantity should not be too much. Water must not be lacking during this period; sufficient drinking water must be ensured. It is best to add a small amount of 0.5% salt water to the drinking water. At the same time, the indoor temperature should be maintained at 20-25°C, relative humidity at 50%-60%, and quietness should be maintained. Only in this way can mating be successfully completed.

2. After mating, raise male and female snakes separately, because male snakes are generally larger than female snakes and have a fierce temperament. If male and female snakes are still kept together at this time, the male snake will not only compete with the female snake for food, but sometimes will also eat the female snake. In addition, it will disturb the rest of the pregnant female snake, and may even eat the eggs that are laid. At this time, the male snake should be placed into another pool (or box) with unmated but already estrous female snakes, allowing the male snake to mate with another female snake. After sufficient mating, return the male snake to the snake enclosure.

3. Female snakes that have mated and conceived are best raised individually in snake boxes or snake pools to avoid mutual interference. Provide their favorite feed every day and supply sufficient nutrition. Artificial compound feed should especially increase animal protein, calcium, and vitamins to meet the needs of embryonic development. The feed must be pollution-free, clean, hygienic, not moldy, and not spoiled. Keep the environment quiet so that the embryos have good development conditions and premature birth does not occur.

4. Female snakes that mate and become pregnant in the current year can only produce fertilized eggs the following year. As the embryos develop, the abdomen of the pregnant snake begins to swell, and the fertilized eggs continuously move toward the cloaca. At this time, uneven egg granules can be felt by touching the abdomen. When the egg granules are 2-3 cm from the cloaca, eggs can be laid within a day. At this time, attention should be paid to observing the egg-laying situation of the female snake. There is no need to provide feed, but water should be given, and the female snake must not be disturbed casually.

Female snakes that have finished laying eggs have the habit of guarding the eggs and generally do not eat during this period. This consumes a great deal of physical strength and affects recovery. At this time, the laid eggs should be picked up and centrally incubated artificially. Only after the female snake has undergone a period of careful rearing and management should the female snake be placed back into the snake enclosure.

II. Rearing and Management During the Non-Breeding Period

Breeding snakes should be raised in separate groups according to different species, different sexes, and different ages. This can reduce mutual biting or mutual swallowing among breeding snakes, because among some snake species the phenomenon of cannibalism is very serious.

During this period, more small animals that snakes like to eat should be fed, allowing the snakes to eat their fill and eat well, replenishing the nutrients consumed by egg laying, restoring physical strength as soon as possible, and preparing for the next reproduction. At the same time, culling should also be carried out according to the reproductive capacity, physique, and age of the breeding snakes. Those old, weak, and low-fertility breeding snakes should be processed for meat or medicinal use, and young and strong breeding snakes should be added to ensure that the snake population has vigorous breeding snakes.

General rearing and management work can follow the measures for rearing and managing adult snakes, and a complete management system should be established. Establishing snake records is especially important, because only by establishing sound records can the breeding snakes be understood in detail and can reproduction and selective breeding work be carried out in a planned way.