Reptile Breeding

Reptile Breeding and Rearing

So you're interested in breeding reptiles? Reptile breeding is an endeavor that requires an intimate knowledge of the species, their history, and their biology.

Reptile breeding: the reproductive cycle

In poikilothermic animals the reproductive cycle is determined by various factors. These factors are temperature, humidity, and light.

Reptile breeding: temperature

The annual reproductive window for most reptiles is very small. The length of a reptile's reproductive windows is dependent on the temperature of the geographic region. Colder areas have small reproductive windows, while hotter and particularly tropical areas experience a larger window of time where reptiles may reproduce. In order to mimic these conditions in enclosed areas, you will need to adjust temperature and light precisely.

Reptile breeding: humidity

There is no doubt that a tropical environment helps reptiles breed, not only more successfully, but more often. In an enclosed system, you can replicate humid conditions by using a humidifier as well as misting systems. For amphibious (water based) reptiles, simply having a fresh and ample water source will do the trick.

Reptile breeding: nourishment

It's important that ample food that is both variable and rich in vitamins and minerals be available to your reptile. A hungry reptile is less likely to breed.

Reptile breeding: cage size

The cages need to be as large as possible. For spawning and egg laying their should be a sufficient amount of water, plants, and caves. There should be a limit to the amount of animals kept inside a single enclosure depending on the size of the animals and the cage. In general males and females should only be kept together during breeding season. Depending on the where the animals are purchased from, record-keeping is key to successful breeding.

Lists of important breeding information

Here are lists of important breeding information for the animals:

• age
• date
• time
• temperature
• humidity during mating period
• egg laid dates
• birth of litter
• size of eggs and clutch
• egg size and weight
• dates of larvae development
• appearance
• weight
• size of the babies