Following the "rule" to the number

I'm housing my sister's spider female this season to breed to my pastel. The female is an '08 and completely empty sits at 1460g. She ate a small rat readily a few days ago (thought she'd take some time to settle in, but noooo. This girl wanted food!) and with a rat and some poop in her belly she's sitting at 1566g. Now, I've got 3 girls of my own breeding this season. One is 2000g (2005). The others are 1600g (2007) (well she was a little under 1600 in November anyway. Haven't weighed her recently) and 1350g (2007). My 1350g (probably closer to 1400g now) pinstripe breeds anytime you put a male in her tub, usually within 6 hours. Of course, I'm not sure if she'll go this year as I haven't been able to feel follicles. She won't relax enough for me to palpate properly. (she squirms and hisses)

Now, my sister's spider is a great feeder. My sister wants to wait until her girl is at least 1500g while empty. A difference of 40g. She'll probably gain that pretty fast the way she's eating but I wonder how many people actually follow the 2 years old and 1500g "rule" to the number. Would you introduce a male to a 1450g female? What about a 1300g female that was 3 years old? (a year older than recommended as the minimum age?) Do you wait until they are at a higher weight than 1500g no matter their age? Would you breed a female that was 1500g but less than 2 years old?

Just some questions floating around in the ole' noggin. Just got me thinking about my own girls and how they are progressing in their breeding this season.

its just a rule of thumb number, there no reason to follow it exactly, some girls are just shorter than others and will obviously weigh less. Also they grow their whole lives so the longer they get, the greater their "healthy weight" gets.

your looking for a girl that looks plump and healthy, the rest is up to them.

Well "I" know that, but I was just seeing what others go by. My 1350g girl is nice and plump but she's not very long. My sister's snake is also nice and plump but she doesn't want me to begin introducing my boy until she's exactly 1500g or more. I will not go against her wishes of course, but it made me wonder about other breeders and what they consider breeding size.

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

Well "I" know that, but I was just seeing what others go by. My 1350g girl is nice and plump but she's not very long. My sister's snake is also nice and plump but she doesn't want me to begin introducing my boy until she's exactly 1500g or more. I will not go against her wishes of course, but it made me wonder about other breeders and what they consider breeding size.

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Put your sisters snake on a 5day feed schedule of smaller prey, she'll hit your target weight in no time. But as stated before, the rest is up to them :)

I put my male pastel yb in with a 1200 gram female if she is ready she will go if not then there is always next year.

Ill breed whatever breeds whenever it's ready to breed. The snakes know better than I do. Ill try them as early as 18 months/1100 grams. They probably won't even lock though. I just test them with my proven, lock anything mojave male to see if I should pump em and breed em or wait.

I don't follow any rules. I figure rules are made to be broken. Balls will breed if they are ready. If smaller, they will lay smaller clutches. Good luck.