Im so tempted right now (a bit long breeding ramble)

[ajeff]

I got my new scale in from the beanfarm today since I lost my other one. There was a few animals I really wanted to weigh, the first one, is a chubby het albino, one who I am really can't wait to breed. She is my big girl. Xena, just a busy patterned normal, is in 2nd place, but she will not be ready till next year.

I pulled the het albino females tub out, she ate last week and for the most part, passed her meal. She was heavy. I placed her on the scale and it read 1462 grams. Feeding her would probably put the scale at over 1500 grams. I read 1500 grams is the target weight to start breeding females. She is 38 grams shy of that mark.

A part of me wants to stick a male in with her to see what happens. I have 4 males that may work... a normal that is a few grams lighter then she is. A het albino male, about 730 grams, a (TSK) het axanthic. I even have a 50% possible het piebald male I can run through her (If I want a long project that may never prove out).

Then to top this off, I plan on having a male in April paid off and in my hands I could run through her. A dom possible het albino that *may* be ready to breed this year. So I kind of want to wait till I get the new male to see if he is breedable, but if he is not, thats time that I could have spent attempting to breed another male to the girl.

So my options are:
1) Stick a male in with the 1462 gram female and see what happens

2) Wait till I get the new male in and hope he is breedable

3) wait for the 09 season when she will be even bigger

If I do option 1, what to place in with her? The obvious choice would be the het male I got, though I am a bit worried she may try to eat him! I could attempt the het axanthic and possible double hets for TSK snow, this would require a lot of hold backs. Attempt the 50% poss het pied and try the long way to prove him out (more hold backs)

If I do option 2 the male may not be big enough to do the trick this season and would require to wait till 09, which would be okay if I hold the female off till 09 cause she will grow, but I may miss producing something this year

If I do option 3, the female should be even bigger for next year.

So I am thinking I should try and go for option 1. I figure if she is breedable, it will happen. I know she is a bit "small" but I figure it may be worth a try. If I stick a male in with her, they will either breed or not. If they do, she will either lay eggs, or will not. If she lays eggs, they will either be good or not. If they are good, they may hatch.

Sorry this was a bit long, just sort of thinking out loud

[Holbeird]

I know some people who go lighter than 1500 although personally I shoot between 1500-1800, and I tend to lean more torwards 1800.

If you do decide to breed her this year, i'd personally run your het albino male through her. It seems your best chance to get albinos, then if you have a male albino you can sell your het as proven and use your male albino to breed to get better shots and proving out poss-het females, and if you get a female albino, you could use her to prove out poss-het males and worst case you still end up with 100% hets.

[Petboy15]

I'd try to breed her now, The season is starting to wrap up for breeding, so I'd put the het albino with her. I don't think he will get eaten, lol, I cant remmeber if that has ever happened while breeding.


What year is she? That would alos play a part in if you should breed her or not.

[Gloryhound]

Nothing says when breeding has to take place. You are setting the mood by cycling temps. You could wait until the other male comes in and if he isn't big enough breed one of the other males. If he is use him. You big girl should definately be at wait by then. I'm partial to Snow and VPI Axanthics, but your best odds are with the het albinos to prove them out and get your albino! Males have been successfully bred as light as 250 grams as it is more a matter of when they become interested. We picked a minimum weight of 1500 grams and made it a solid rule for the safety of our females. If you selected 1500 grams I would hold to your rule. The only exception may be a 3 or 4 year old girl who just seems to be a slow gainer.

[Brimstone111888]

Wait for some rain or thunderstorms and then pair them. Seems to be working for everyone else. Good luck!

[bigballs]

if she is healthy and eating well with no other problems then go for it. shes a good weight and im guessing good age as well. i have a one year old pastel female who i bred this year at 1100g and its looking like shes gonna lay really soon. i would try to breed your het albino female with the het albino male and try for albinos. if hes not ready he wont breed and if shes not ready she wont produce eggs. if you know your animals and are confident in them and yourself then try it out. but if you want to wait until next breeding season it wont hurt either.

[muddoc]

Just some food for thought. I put it that way, because I have and do breed 18-20 month old girls that are between 1400 and 1700 grams. After stating that disclamer, I will tell you about my Albino project. I bought my Albino male and a Het Albino female in 2004. During the '05/'06 breeding season, my Het Albino girl was about 1700 grams, so I thought "what the heck, maybe I can get some eggs". Well sure enough, we got 7 eggs from her that year. During incubation, 1 egg went bad, and 6 animals hatched. 5.0 Het Albinos and a unsexed severly deformed Albino that died half way out of the egg. Well, as always, I kept my chin up, and had my girl back on a good feeding schedule. By breeding season '06/'07 she was up to 2000 grams, so I knew for sure that we would hatch some Albinos last year. WRONG! She took the year off, even though she copulated with my Albino male numerous times. This year, that girl is 2400-2500 grams, and has copulated with my Albino numerous times, and has follicles that I can palpate, so I am hopeful this season.

After saying all of that, I have talked to numerous people, including some big breeders, that told me that they no longer breed important females during their second winter, due to the fact that they have noticed that females that lay eggs from breeding in their second winter, typically don't put the weight back on as well and/or take the following year off. So, after hearing that great tidbit of kn owledge, I no longer pair 18 month old "important" (meaning, you only have one, or it is a big project) females. I have a 1600 gram 18 month old Het Genetic Stripe girl that I have been dying to breed, but I know I am better off if I let her get some more weight and age (i.e. she will probably give me more eggs and lay more consecutive years) if I wait. I am breeding some 1500 gram Spider girls this year that are only 18 months old, but I also have 2 more the same age, that I am not breeding.

I know that was alot to read, but I thought it may give you some good practical experience to help base your decision on. Personally, with a collection as small as yours, that is a valuable female, and I would wait until next year.

[ajeff]

Thanks for the input, all.

[ajeff]

I think I am going to wait on her. I mean, I am seriously tempted, but now that I think about it, I am not fully prepared. I would need an incubator and even though I have small shoe boxes, I actualy do not have a rack that would hold them. I have a sterilite 1765 9 shelf rack due in near the end of the month from Animal plastics, so that means some animals are going to be moved around. I plan on re-arranging the reptile room when the rack gets in. In April I should have two snakes paid off and added to the collection. I suspect this year, I will need to purchase 2 more racks, one that will hold shoe boxes for babies, and one to hold breeder female ball pythons Then on top of that, I will feel better if I manage to hunt down a decent incubator.

I may end up with corn snake babies, if the male lavender is big enough to hook up with a snow