Breeding Ratios

How many females to males do you keep?
I'm asking because right now I own 7 female bps, and 1 male. I bought a male het. axanthic to go with my girls. So that brings me up to 2 males. My pastel might not be ready to breed this year. Can the Het. handle that many girls or should I limit it to 3 girls? Just trying to decide if I should buy another female or a male, there is a really gorgeous pin I've been looking at, and then two girls, ones a spider and the other is a mojave both are really nice! Ahh the choices! lol

But mainly how many females is to much for one male?

I read a little more and found where people recommend giving him a day off in between breeding rounds. So I'm thinking either he'll be with each girl 2 days then 3 off, then 2 with another, then 3 off. Which really only leaves me being able to breed two of my females. Maybe the pastel male will be ready to breed this year. He's eating voraciously, but I don't want to risk stressing him out. I will watch and wait. I guess I'll only breed Peaches and hmm I'll figure out which other girl to breed.

Great question! As a noobie to BP's I anticipate the answers.

3 to 1 is the highest ratio for breeding balls! Males can die if over breed! I would get a '09 male! I like a 2 to 1 ratio!

I personally usually limit my males to 3-4 females. It depends on the age and weight of the male though. Smaller younger males might not be able to handle that many where as older males may be fine with that ratio or even handle 1-2 more. It may be different for each snake, thats why its good to keep acurate records and watch your male to make sure he isn't over bred because they can die from over breeding. For the most part 1 male to 3-4 females is the ratio I use.

Bought an 09 het. axanthic. =) I can't wait to get him, but I asked the seller if we can wait a month to ship. Don't want him to die if the delivery man wastes time and gets here after noon.

According to the old owner my pastel is an 08 or 07. The thing is she had gotten him back from a really bad situation about 1-2 weeks before I got him. Granted my scale might be off, but it said he weighed about 100grams. So he was pretty much starved to death before she got him back. He's finally eating on his own, and I'm going to buy a digital scale off amazon so I can keep track of his weight gain. It's hard for me to believe he weighs so little, but then when I'd picked him up he felt hollow.

So even if he's ready this year, I probably won't breed him. Not worth the risk. He's a sweetheart. Granted that could be because he was half dead when I got him.

I read this link though: http://www.ballpython.ca/gallery/breeding.html and I have a female that looked lumpy for a few days, and two of the girls that came with him always stay in perfect coils, and have recently taken to soaking in their water bowls. I'm wondering if maybe he almost bred to death because they kept him with 4 females? I guess I'll know in a few months if I come home to surprise eggs.

Coiled in the water dish then I would check for mites. He would be dead if he only weighted 100 grams at 3 years old. When they are hatched, they can weigh almost that. He should weight about 1000 grams at that age or more so he is still under weight. If he is housed with females then he probaly did breed to them to much! Good luck with them and I hope he becomes a big, fat, healthy adult!

Ordered a new scale and proventamite just in case the girls have mites. Thank you. =)