Breeding Dilemma...What Would You Do?

[KatStoverReptiles]

The back story:

So I bought/rescued/took in a male and female normal back in December. They were being housed together in a 55 gal in a basement with no heat. The previous owner said that a few years ago the female had laid eggs, but the eggs died as the owners were unprepared to properly care for them.

By some miracle of god I managed to avoid a RI and they're both doing good. They were a bit skinny but *knock on wood* haven't missed more than 1 meal since I got them.

Now I'm pretty sure that the female is building. I had no plans to breed her this season as she's had quite a life change, needed to put some weight on, and didn't come out of quarantine until last month. Of course she is now being housed separately, but she was with this male normal for years up until I took them in. She's been bowl wrapping and laying inverted. She's also not attacking her food each week with the voraciousness I've witnessed in the past few months. It's almost like I have to talk her into taking the rat. She's weighing in at about 1650g and still looks like she could use a bit of weight on her. I've not noticed her glowing at all. I suck at palpating so I haven't tried it and have no idea of her possible follicle growth.

So now we arrive at the question. I want to disclaimer this with I'm fully prepared to house and/or rehome whatever offspring are produced. Do I leave her be and hope she doesn't go this year but with the knowledge that if she does go it'll be a clutch full of normals? Or do I throw my mojave or lesser male with her (as I'd planned to do next year) and hope that his swimmers, being fresher and newer, win out, giving me a chance at more mojaves/lessers (along with, of course, some normals)? Both males are in the 700 gram range and are strong eaters. Do I leave her be until I notice her glowing (a more sure sign that she's going to go this year) and then throw either the mojave or lesser male with her?

Thoughts? Feelings? Opinions?

[Xotik]

In the situation, I would personally leave her be. It's tempting to want to throw someone else at her, but I would rather take the chance that she isn't gutloaded with swimmies from the normal and that she's just pretending.

[Rage Beard Reptiles]

i totally agree with xotic, leave her be you have to think of her health even though it is so very very tempting.

[Mike41793]

I would leave her as well. If youre lucky maybe she'll just reabsorb them and not lay a bunch of normals on you lol. Normals are still cool though, i would still be excited

[jcoylesr76]

as the others have said, let her be this year, see what happens and how she is for next year or so.

[Slim]

If she were mine I would let her rest this season and what ever happens will happen. I would focus on getting her ready for next year.

[Christopher De Leon]

I agree with the others...However, if nature takes course on its own and she starts to glow, i would go ahead and throw the lesser her way.

[angllady2]

Well, I had a big normal girl who went through all the motions last season. She swelled up, stopped eating, was glowing like mad, bowl wrapped, layed inverted, the whole bit.

She went right up to the point of ovulation and changed her mind.

I'd just leave her be, and hope that for the sake of her health she changes her mind.

Gale