How often do you give your breeders a break?

I'm new at breeding ball pythons but I know that other reptiles can require a break from breeding for them to replenish themselves. I'm wondering how often do you give your females a break? Every other year? Every 2 years? What about the males? Also, I know that males can be bred to multiple females in one season, but how many females is still "healthy" for one male to be bred to? I guess what I mean is how many females is too many? I'm starting to make up my breeding plans for this November and I want to be sure of what I'm doing and not risk anyone's health.

Anyone? I would think any experienced breeder would know the answer to these questions so I'm guessing I posted during a slow period and it got overlooked.

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Originally Posted by BlueMoonExotics

I'm new at breeding ball pythons but I know that other reptiles can require a break from breeding for them to replenish themselves.
I'm wondering how often do you give your females a break? Every other year? Every 2 years? What about the males? Also, I know that males can be bred to multiple females in one season, but how many females is still "healthy" for one male to be bred to? I guess what I mean is how many females is too many? I'm starting to make up my breeding plans for this November and I want to be sure of what I'm doing and not risk anyone's health.

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3-4 days in with the female. 3-4 days out to rest and feed.
Continue this until the female ovulates.

Females can breed every year as long as they have good body condition. If they don't want to go, they will skip the year themselves.
You can also choose to give them breaks every few years if you want.

Usually males can breed fine to 4-5 females in a season as long as he maintains good health and body condition. If he looses too much weight, I would pull him from breeding. You don't want to stretch your males too thin.

I also do the 3 days in and 4 days out with my males. They usually get paired to 3-5 females depending on the males age and weight/ body condition. As for the females, I wait until they reach about 1800 grams before breeding them. Many have success with smaller girls in the usual 1500 gram range but I wait. I breed the girls a max of 2 years in a row and then give them an automatic year off. I've got a couple girls in the 3000-3600 grams range that didn't see a male this year. Fingers crossed, I hope to get big clutches from them this season. One of them gave me 12 and the other 10 perfect eggs in my very first clutch of my first season breeding. Each have put on considerable weight since then. Good luck and keep us posted.

Mike

1) Giving females a break between seasons is really dependent on how they recover their weight. I have a spider female who bred at 2300 grams last year, dropped to 1800 after she laid, and now she's up to 2500. I will breed her again this year without hesitation. Her weight is good compared to her length, I have no concerns. If she was too thin, or her weight didn't recuperate I would give her a year off, so there really isn't a golden rule. If the female isn't healthy enough to breed in the following season she wont be bred, period. If she recovers well every year than I have no problems breeding her every year.

2) I usually breed my males with up to 4 females, but I heard some people breed to up to 8. I think BHB breeds with up to 8 females per male. The problem with breeding a male to that many female is that the male can only produce so many sperm plugs in a season. If you breed with eight females instead of four you cut your chances of passing those plugs to your female by 50%. At least that's how I see it. You only have so much time to pair, and I would rather see my male lock with 2 females a dozen times each, than see my male lock with 8 females 3 times each.

Definitely got my questions answered this time :). Thanks guys (or gals)!