Mate Anacondas

Anacondas are among the largest snakes in the world. In the wild, anacondas mate near water and form breeding balls, where several males fight for the chance to mate with the female. To mate anacondas at home, you will need to prep the anacondas properly and mate them in an enclosure. You can then care for the anacondas after mating to ensure they produce healthy offspring. Mating anacondas can be dangerous and should only be done by advanced snake hobbyists or professional snake breeders.

Steps

Preparing for Mating

  1. Get a male and a female anaconda Make sure both anacondas are at least three to four years in age, as this is when they will be sexually mature. Check that both snakes are healthy and have a good body weight.[1]
    • You may purchase two anacondas of the opposite sex or contact a snake breeder to use a male or female with your own pet anaconda.
    • In the wild, anacondas will mate in groups, where there is one female and multiple males. You may start with one female and one male to begin with, and then decide to add more males to increase the chances of mating success.
  2. Clean the female anaconda’s enclosure. The mating should occur in the female’s enclosure. Wash and wipe down the enclosure well before mating so it is comfortable for both snakes. Make sure the enclosure is large enough to fit one to two more anacondas.[1]
    • You may want to ask a friend to help you by holding the anaconda while you clean out its cage. This way, the snake is attended to while you clean the enclosure.
  3. Cool down the female anaconda. Adjusting the female anaconda’s body temperature will make her more receptive to mating. Cool down the female about eight weeks before you plan to mate it.[1]
    • Reduce the daytime temperatures in the enclosure by 5 degrees Fahrenheit, making the cool end 75 to 77 degrees and the hotspot 83 to 87 degrees.
    • Make the nighttime temperatures in the enclosure cooler by 10 degrees, so the cool end is 68 degrees and the hotspot is 74 degrees.
    • Give the anaconda two to three meals during the cool down. Feed it smaller than normal meals, as it will be harder for the snake to digest food when its body temperature is lower.
  4. Warm up the female anaconda. After the cooling period, warm the anaconda up by increasing the temperatures in the enclosure 2 degrees per day. Do this until the normal ranges in the enclosure are reached.[1]
    • Daytime temperatures should be between 80 and 82 degrees, with hotspots that are 88 and 92 degrees. Nighttime ambient temperatures should be above 78 degrees, with nighttime hotspots that are 84 degrees.
    • Once the anaconda has warmed back up, give it as much food as it wants.

Mating the Anacondas

  1. Introduce the male to the female’s enclosure every seven days. To get the female interested in the male, start by putting the male in the female’s enclosure for 24 hours. Then, wait seven days and put the male in the enclosure again for 24 hours. Do this for several weeks. This will give the snakes enough time to get to know each other in a controlled way.[1]
    • You can time the introductions for when the female snake is in a cooling period and then after the cooling period. Having the male and female interact during a range of temperatures can increase the likelihood of mating.
  2. Check the female for ovulation. After the female has met the male several times, look to see if her midsection is bloated, like she has had a large meal. Check that its skin is distended and there is stretching between the scales on its midsection.[1]
  3. Put the male anaconda in the enclosure. Once the female shows signs of ovulation, place the male anaconda in its enclosure for mating. Allow the snakes to interact in the enclosure. The courtship may take some time to develop. Over time, the male will wrap around the female for mating.[2]
    • You may decide to put more than one male anaconda in the enclosure for mating. This will allow the males to wrap around the female to compete for it, creating a breeding ball. The breeding ball can last up to four weeks.

Caring for the Anacondas After Mating

  1. Check the female for eggs. After the anacondas have mated, the male and female will separate. Remove the male from the enclosure. Then, watch the female for signs of pregnancy. The female may appear bloated and develop a large midsection.[3]
  2. Wait six months for the litter. Female anacondas incubate their eggs in their bodies. It will take six months for the tiny snakes to be born. Anacondas are ovoviviparous, so they give birth to live young. The litter can vary from four to 82 young.[3]
    • Once the tiny snakes have been born, the female anaconda will leave the young to fend for themselves. The babies will shed their skins ten days after birth. You can then feed and house them.
  3. Allow the female to rest for one to two years before mating it again. Female anacondas do not mate very often, as they give birth to large litters. Most species of anaconda will breed every one to two years in the wild. Do not force female anacondas to breed too often, as this can put stress on them.[3]

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Magazines/Reptiles-Magazine/November-2009/Anaconda-Snake-Breeding/
  2. ↑ https://www.livescience.com/53318-anaconda-facts.html
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Eunectes_notaeus/#reproduction

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