Female Breeding Sizes

[bait4snake]

I know that you shouldn't breed a female until she's at least 1400 grams, but does anyone have stories of breeding smaller ones, say around 1100-1200 grams or smaller? Do they pop or something? Just curious, never tried nor will I.

[Adam_Wysocki]

I know that you shouldn't breed a female until she's at least 1400 grams, but does anyone have stories of breeding smaller ones, say around 1100-1200 grams or smaller? Do they pop or something? Just curious, never tried nor will I.

It really depends on the girl ... I've had some smaller ones breed and lay good eggs, I've also had smaller girls slug out and then not lay again for 3 years ... The bottom line is that if a female is ready she will lay, if she's not she won't ... sometimes being "ready" to a female might mean 1 clutch every 4 years ... not good if you're looking for consistent and predictable reproduction.

-adam

[Emilio]

Adam would you try your female out at 1200 or would you just wait? Also taking into consideration that she is is not three yet.One of my female's is a year old and weigh's 600 gram's I'm thinking she might be 1200 by Feb 07 give or take.She would be 2 year's old Aug 07 by that time she would probably weigh 1700g. Is that awesome growth or what?And I'm being a little conservative multiplying month's to only 65g of growth which she has shown me can be more.

[Adam_Wysocki]

Adam would you try your female out at 1200 or would you just wait?

I would wait ... I like big clutches.

-adam

[ssscales]

I'm in the same predicament, my females have gained about 75-100g a month since moving up to weaned rats. Six of the ten are already close to 800g and I was considering pairing them around 2/07, if they came in above 1300g and depending on their overall appearance/thickness.

I currently have a 400g Pastel male that should be 750-900g by then and would even consider getting a nice 05 Spider male to pair up with 2-3 females of his own.

Or,
I could wait till next season and all my females should be 2000g+.

I'm stuck as well on this, I'm in no hurry to breed BP's, but it would be fun to have eggs next year. Get a head start on some bees and supers! I may just wait though, any suggestions?

[Adam_Wysocki]

Weight is not the only factor ... many times you end up wearing out males on females that just won't go ... 1200, 1300, 1400 grams is "possible" but not likely in the grand scheme of things ... I typically get 90% of everything that I breed (female wise) to go when over 1500 grams and in their 3rd winter or beyond ... for young girls, or girls under 1500 grams I've traditionally been about 10% until this year.

Breeding young/small girls in Febuary will most likely result in them takin 3 - 4 months off of food, not laying eggs, and having less size for the following season ... sure, you might get one to lay, but is the effect on the rest of them worth it for 2 or 3 eggs?

-adam

[Emilio]

I don't know , I guess if I had 5 or 6 of them I would try out a couple of them see how it goes.But definitely worth waiting it out.

[Emilio]

Guy's one more thing I'm fighting the urge to buy fullsize female's knowing most will be WC what would you guy's do?If I purchase 2 or 3 would it be enough to have them in another room?Also I heard from a good friend that if you take them to the vet and mess with the girlz to much they won't eat or breed for you.Pretty bad predicament.

[frankykeno]

Figure it this way. You might get a decently sized female but you need to figure in vet costs for treating them for parasites, difficulty in handling them as they aren't used to human contact and full, very strict quarantine procedures. You can do everything right and you might get a breeding size female but you are just as likely to get a non-eater that will drive you nuts. I call it a calculated risk so it just depends on your calculations of what you can or cannot handle.

The WC adult female we took in as a rescue is coming along but it's been a lot of work and a lot of worry and stress. We may do it again if a female WC was particularily good looking or just plain old needed a safe home but it's way less stressful to get a nice well started female from a breeder and wait out the time. Personally I think WC adults are best handled by people with a lot of experience, something Mike and I had to learn the hard way.

We are currently working with another female that is suspected to be a WC. She hasn't eaten in a long time and is thin. We are trying to help another forum member get her going as well as our WC Saoirse has come along. Like I said...it's a lot of worry and work with one of them...I don't know what I'd do with a lot of WC adult females to manage at one time.

[daaangconcepts]

Guy's one more thing I'm fighting the urge to buy fullsize female's knowing most will be WC what would you guy's do?If I purchase 2 or 3 would it be enough to have them in another room?Also I heard from a good friend that if you take them to the vet and mess with the girlz to much they won't eat or breed for you.Pretty bad predicament.

i've read that also (that most WC females will not breed in captivity)