How Old?

[xXCleoPatraXx]

How Old Should The Male And Female Be, I Have A 2 Yr Old Female, Should I Wait For A Few More Years Before I Breed ?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

It's a combination of age and weight.

[BFE Pets]

Please think carefully before deciding to breed. There's a lot to consider and a lot to learn before just throwing two breeding sized snakes together. Actually there's not but to do it responsibly there is. There's quite a bit of good info on here if you use the search button. But most people that I know recommend 3 winters or 1500 grams for your females. And one winter and 700 grams for the boys. I've heard of buys breeding as small as 350 grams before there first winter but I don't recommend it. Also some people will say 1200 grams for a female is ok but I've only bred girls that small if they are on their 4th winter and just won't grow or eat well. And they always produce smaller clutches for me.

[decensored]

weight is more important than age. 2 years, and in excess of 1200 grams. But to play it safe, 1500 grams seems to be the popular consensus. I have a buddy (won't tell you who) who breed a few 1000 gram girls this year and got good results.. I don't recommend it though. Too young, and too small you run a high risk of complications. Especially for novice breeders.. Having stuck eggs can be a nightmare. You run the risk of losing both the eggs, and the mother.

The bigger the better IMO. My girls that are being bred this year are 5 years old and virgins.

[decensored]

The bigger the better IMO. My girls that are being bred this year are 5 years old+ and virgins. They way I see it, you can breed a 1500 gram girl, and say she gives you 4 eggs, she drops to 1200 grams after breeding and you can't get her back up, or you get her back up to 1300 grams. You breed her again and she gives you 3. the Next year she's useless to you.

Say You have a 2000 gram girl, you breed her and she gives you 8. You've now got 2 years of breeding compared to the smaller girl in my previous example. Say you get her back to 1800 and you want to breed her again and you get 6. Now you can give her a year off without loosing numbers like you would if you bred a younger female.

[Mike41793]

I disagree with what chris said^. From what ive gathered, age matters more than weight. A female wont go unless she's sexually mature. Some females dont get to 1500grams. They reach their full adult size at 1200 or 1300grams and produced 3-4 egg clutches consistently. Same way that every female isnt going to hit 3kg's and produce 12 egg clutches. 1500grams is a good guide to go by but it doesnt mean the snake is sexually mature.

[satomi325]

I disagree with what chris said^. From what ive gathered, age matters more than weight. A female wont go unless she's sexually mature. Some females dont get to 1500grams. They reach their full adult size at 1200 or 1300grams and produced 3-4 egg clutches consistently. Same way that every female isnt going to hit 3kg's and produce 12 egg clutches. 1500grams is a good guide to go by but it doesnt mean the snake is sexually mature.

Exactly. I have a 1400 gram 10 month old female. She is of breeding weight, but there's no way I'm breeding her this season.
I believe age has more impact than weight.

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[meowmeowkazoo]

Agree with age being more important. My leopard girl is getting near breeding weight but is only a year old. Females should be eating healthily and old enough to be sexually mature.

[SlitherinSisters]

Generally 3 years for females and 1 year for males. Of course it could be sooner or later depending on the snake and its weight.

[Xan Powers]

Generally 3 years for females and 1 year for males. Of course it could be sooner or later depending on the snake and its weight.

This. I go by weight, as long as its a healthy steady progression then weight is a good determining factor. Any female that i've raised from a hatchling that eats regularly and appropriately sized meals throughout adolescence will be ready. I've yet to have one reach breeding weight in a year, most are around 2.5-3 years old and will actually show me their ready by going through the early stages of the cycle.

You also have to remember that as your female goes through the breeding process she will put on excess weight as she will be eating voraciously up until ovy, some like a few of mine will continue to eat small meals all the way until they lay. This can easily add +-500 grams.

With that said i'd breed a female that was 1200-1500g because i know that she will put on a good amount of weight before shes actually laid her eggs.

Food for thought.

-xan