Aussie Pythons and Snakes

Fuscus · #1 02-Sep-04, 11:25 AM

I placed a second male coastal in with my coastal pair expecting a sequence of events that include a violence but nothing. The new guy is avoiding the others but there is no aggression.

So far I have the following possibilities
1/ the two males are two young.
2/ the female is not in heat
3/ the female is not female (that is the only animal that hasn't been probed in my presence)
4/ Snake season has closed and it is now either duck or rabbit season.
Any other ideas and more importantly, is something likely to suddenly hit the fan. The animals are unsupervised during work hours.

instar · #2 02-Sep-04, 11:31 AM

LOL, "Its Wabbit season, haaaaaaa! "

Fuscus · #3 02-Sep-04, 11:39 AM

Duck season !

instar · #4 02-Sep-04, 11:56 AM

Wabbit Theason!

*pushes muzzel of Elmers gun toward Fuscus*

I hope not mate, be a downer to come home and find damaged snakes from fighting or worse

Fuscus · #5 02-Sep-04, 11:58 AM

Ok, we have had our fun. Serious answers please. I'm worried that I could arrive home and find that the boys have been boys and one is badly hurt.

instar · #6 02-Sep-04, 12:12 PM

Can ya not remove one male, atleast whilst your not there, and use an old slough instead?
maybe separate the males but have then where they can see each other through glass? (turn one enclosure to face the other?) ???

NCHERPS · #7 02-Sep-04, 12:53 PM

Hi Fuscus,
I have personally never found it necessary to combat male coastal's, and infact as you have found, they don't always want to.
That aside, it is of course possible that you may have 3 males, so that would be my next step if I was you.
Failing that, it could just be either too young, I have had coastals a couple of years before they decided to breed for me, and have had others that have bred early, just the luck of the draw sometimes.

Neil

sxereturn · #8 02-Sep-04, 01:05 PM

Bryony · #9 02-Sep-04, 01:17 PM

they both have dominance issues?

Stevo · #10 02-Sep-04, 01:18 PM

I probably wouldnt leave them together while u are at work fuscus ,just in case.

Fuscus · #11 02-Sep-04, 01:24 PM

You may be right there Stevo, but it has to be weighted against disturbing them. Perhaps Innys idea slightly modified ( a cage inside the big cage where the boys can smell each other) is the safest option.

cwarren72 · #12 02-Sep-04, 04:10 PM

Fuscy old Boy there is another old trick you could try if you are worried about them hurting each other. If you have a fairly fresh slough from the other male you can out that in with the pair and a lot of times this is as good as putting the actual male in.

Fuscus · #13 02-Sep-04, 04:31 PM

I know about that trick cwarren72 but it wasn't an option.

africancichlidau · #14 02-Sep-04, 05:20 PM

Can you rig a perforated divider in the large cage and just keep one male to itself on one side when you are out? This way they'd smell each other fine but not be able to rip into each other if the fancy takes them in your absence. JAT

Splitmore · #15 02-Sep-04, 07:16 PM

Fuscus,
It's certainly not too late for your coastals to begin mating, they tend to breed much later than most other pythons. If the two males aren't showing any signs of aggression toward each other at this stage I doubt they are suddenly going to turn on each other.
I guess you really have two options here, seperate them all and try alternate males with the female evey couple of days or just leave them all together and keep a close eye on them. Personally I'd stick with the latter.
Are your temps back up to normal now? If not I'd bring the temps back up to about 30 degrees and persevere a little longer with the carpets before calling it quits for the season. A few years ago I had coastals that didn't commence mating until mid october and they produced a fertile clutch.
Regards,
Splitmore