Super Pastel x Spider=Butters??????

[rjs73]

This clutch was due to hatch this week and with it being my last clutch I figured I would cut them in anticipation of seeing some Bee's. But instead I was starring at two Butters a normal and a Pastel.

I was like "what the hell is this."

So I looked at my breeding records from last year. It was her first year breeding last year and she was breed by my Pin, Butter, and Pastel. This year I breed her only to my Super Pastel.

I know she can retain sperm from the past year so I see how I ended up with the Butters. But what I found interesting is that last year she slugged out on me.

I was under the impression that if a female either laid eggs or slugs that she used up the viable sperm and wouldn't have any to retain.

But then I started thinking what if she threw the slugs from one of the other males I paired her up with and stored the sperm from the Butter. I am not even sure if this is possible, but it makes you wonder.

Has anyone else ever had anything like this happen where a female either lays slugs or eggs and then following year has offspring from the prior years male?

I just thought what happened to me was interesting and thought I would share my story with you guys.

This experience has given me a whole new outlook on sperm retention. I will pay alot more attention to the females that I breed regarding which males I put with them.

[aarondm]

Wow, Thats crazy! That must have been a hell of a shock seeing those butters in there. Is it more likely that the baby pastel is from the pastel last year or could it be from the super this year? That certainly opens up the possibilities. I'm curious too as to how often this happens to breeders, Thanks for sharing

[dreese88]

Wow, Thats crazy! That must have been a hell of a shock seeing those butters in there. Is it more likely that the baby pastel is from the pastel last year or could it be from the super this year? That certainly opens up the possibilities. I'm curious too as to how often this happens to breeders, Thanks for sharing

There's no way really to tell, but I would guess that it was probably from the Super this year. I would guess that although it does appear that sperm retention is happening more and more, that having a dual sired clutch and both of those from retained sperm would be rare. However, it is entirely possible that she didn't take at all from the SP and retained all sperm from last year.

[rabernet]

Kat, Janeofthejungle had lessers hatch out from a het girl that she was trying to prove out, that had been bred to a lesser the year before (and had a viable clutch the year before).

I've got a female who I've bred to my 100% het clown 2 years in a row. She's getting this year off, but will only be bred to a het clown or clown, no other recessive gene, because of the potential of sperm retention, I would never be sure of the genetics of normal offspring if bred to another het. If I decide that she'll not be used for the clown project in the future - she'll only be bred to dominant/co-dom animals for the remainder of her breeding.

Any other recessive projects I do to produce 100% or 50% possible hets will only be using virigin females.