Husbandry by John BLume

It can be argued that being able to produce captive bred klauberi is a meticulous science, but, on the other hand, anyone with a desire, dedication and passion for this exceptional sub-specie can be successful. If you talk with 10 different klauberi breeders, you will receive 10 different opinions on captive breeding techniques. The best advice I can give is to listen, absorb the information, and use the techniques that best fits your situation. Furthermore, I strongly urge you to set up a klauberi only room. Below is the yearly regimen I adhere to.

May – September (I chose to start here because this is the period in which copulation takes place) ** I keep my different klauberi localities together all year long. This assures me the males are around when the females are receptive.

My klauberi room is set up with light timers. During the summer months, the lights come on at 9:00am and shut off at 8:30pm. During this period I offer the klauberi a 94° basking spot during the day using radiant heat panels, and a 74° cool spot. At night, all temperatures are dropped to 68°. Misting occurs 1-2 times per week, depending on the rainfall recordings in the mountains of New Mexico. Feeding: During this period, females are fed one mouse every 12-16 days, and males are fed every 21-28 days. It’s important not to over-feed during this period. Many feel that over-fed males get lazy and may become reluctant to breed with receptive females.

October
I always refer to this as the transition month, the link between activity and hibernacula. It is this month in which I stop feeding, generally around the 15th of October. It’s important to purge the klauberi before the much cooler temperatures are applied (Purging is essentially making sure there is no undigested prey in the intestinal tract). Furthermore, I transition the temperature changes in 2-3 day increments throughout the month.

The lights come on at 9:00am and shut off at 7:00pm. A basking spot of 82° is offered, with a 70° cool spot. At night, all temperatures are dropped to 62°.

November – February

This past yearly cycle, I applied two different techniques, and both proved successful.
1. Temperatures were at a consistent 50° with no heat offered. Franklin Mountains klauberi were produced. 75% Dimmed light.
2. Temperatures were at a consistent 50°, with 3 hours of a 78° basking spot offered. Snow Lake klauberi were produced. 75% Dimmed light.

**klauberi have been observed basking on rocks surrounded or covered by snow.
I have used 2 large wine refrigerators to cool klauberi, and it has worked quite well. If you can’t get a room to maintain consistent temps in the low 50’s, this may be a viable option.

March – May
During March, I slowly start to bring up the temps, while offering longer periods of light. This is done in 7-10 day increments.
Lights come on at 9:00am, and shut off at 7:00pm. The lighting period increases weekly.
A basking spot of 80° is offered, and a 72° cool spot. At night, all temperatures are dropped to 62°. These temperatures are incrementally increased throughout March and April. It is important not to raise temperatures too quickly. It is during the last week of April that the basking temperatures are near 90° and night time temperatures are near 67°.

Feeding: An acclimation period is applied, in which klauberi are fed small meals usually around the 3rd week of March. I do not offer a regular size meal until I feel confident the digestive tract is functioning properly and the first, small meal has passed.

Important Note: Wild caught klauberi can take several years to acclimate; many times 3-5 years, perhaps longer. And, even captive born may not reach sexual maturity until the age of 5 years. Power-feedingklauberi does not speed up sexual maturity by any means, and in fact, it may most likely lead to an early demise. More than anything, the Banded Rock Rattlesnake requires an individual possessing patience, dedication and passion. If you have these required traits, you too will find this sub-specie a joy to work with.