Stopped locking up....

My Albino female and my Black Pewter 100% Het Albino male have been paired four times now. The first two times they locked within a couple hours and remained locked-up for quite a while (6-8 hours). The last two times I paired them I have not witnessed anything close to a lock. I have rested them both for four days between pairings. Are they sick of each other already...lol? Is this a normal occurrence when breeding BP's? This is my first season breeding, so I must claim ignorance. Or, do they know something that I don't know? Like she is gravid......? Do they stop locking when paired if the female is gravid?

Thanks for the help!!!!!! :D

Once she is gravid he won't lock her anymore. Other things can be a factor tho as well. If he is in a shed cycle he won't do anything for instance.

Just keep pairing them if you are unsure. No harm will come from it (unless your male isn't eating and losing weight)...

Thanks a lot! He is definitely not in shed (just shed a week ago) and both the male and female are still pounding rats without hesitation. I will keep pairing them up and see what happens while keeping a lookout for definite signs of her being gravid.

How often are you placing him in with her?
You might want to give him a week or two off from that female.

I have been pairing them for three days together and four days apart.

She could be gravids, that's always a possibility if you have been pairing them, but they do stop locking from time to time. I have some that I will try to pair a few times that don't want anything to do with each other, then all the sudden they are back to locking again a few weeks later. You never know with these animals.

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Originally Posted by Exotic Ecthotherms

I have been pairing them for three days together and four days apart.

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Is that the only female he is going to? If so, you don't have to pair him that often. If he is eating and you'd like to, by all means. But they really only need to be paired once every 3 weeks or so. If that's his only girlfriend I would put him in every 2 weeks and give him longer rests, but that's just me...