May 2nd: Cloudy and cool day, little activity. Only the male T.s.pickeringii was active.

Mating behaviour of T. radix after the large female became active for the 1st time May 3rd 2013

Mating behaviour T.radix

Old female N.s.insularum, first activity May 3rd 2013

Banded N.s.insularum, first activity May 3rd 2013

N.s.insularum, first activity May 3rd 2013

Banded N.s. insularum basking above the pond

May 3rd: Beautiful and sunny day. Much activity.Beside the snakes that had become active end of April a few snakes were seen for the first time this year. T.radix female number 2 (the biggest one that had given birth end of the previous season) was out for the first basking for the first time this year. Also a smaller T. radix  female was out for the first time. The male T.radix reacted by actively courting her all day until 3 pm. So in total 3 specimens of T.radix are active. Also the biggest and oldest female of N.sipedon insularum (at least 12 years old) was active for the first time and banded specimen of N.s.insularum was basking on a branch over the pond, something the Thamnophis species have never done. In total 4 specimens of N.s.insularum have become active this year.

N.s.insularum

May 4th: 8 AM the first sun was shining in the terrarium, clear blue skies. 8.30 AM already 5 snakes were active, amongst which the old female N.s.insularum.

N.sipedon insularum

Defrosted smelt

Hybrid female T.s.pickeringii x T.ordinoides

T.s.pickeringii male eating smelt at May 7th 2013

May 6th and 7th were warm days with clear blue skies. May 7^th maximum day temperature was more then 20⁰C. The snakes were very active. This day I decided to offer food. The male pickeringii ate a lot, the hybrid T.s.pickeringii x ordinoides maybe ate one fish, the first one this year. Possibly the large T.radix ate a smelt, but probably both T. radix and N.s.insularum refused all food. Last meal was somewhere end of 2012 in September, possibly October.

May 13-18 the weather was predominantly cold, miserable and rainy. Maximum day temperatures may have hit the 12 ⁰C. Night temperatures around the 5 ⁰C. Activity was probably absent or very low and no food was offered.