Suggestion on Female weight

I want to pick up a Pastel female to breed to my Spider male next year when he is ready. However, I'd like the female I purchase to obviously be older with some weight on her so she will be ready next season as well. I'm trying to save a small amount of cash as opposed to going straight for a proven girl. I know it's difficult to discern weight gains as every snake is different, but does anyone have a range suggestion for what size I should be looking for currently? Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Lobo_Reptiles

I want to pick up a Pastel female to breed to my Spider male next year when he is ready. However, I'd like the female I purchase to obviously be older with some weight on her so she will be ready next season as well. I'm trying to save a small amount of cash as opposed to going straight for a proven girl. I know it's difficult to discern weight gains as every snake is different, but does anyone have a range suggestion for what size I should be looking for currently? Thanks!

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I'd look for something at least 1k grams and going into her second winter this year. By next year she should be at least 1500 grams even if she takes a break or two and will definitely be old enough going into her third winter...

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Originally Posted by sho220

I'd look for something at least 1k grams and going into her second winter this year. By next year she should be at least 1500 grams even if she takes a break or two and will definitely be old enough going into her third winter...

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agreed... even a 800-900 gram girl should be pushing 1400 grams by next year and will give you a solid 4 - 6 egg clutch. Search around and find something that has good color... alot of pastels pale out with they hit that 800-1000 gram weight, but if spend a little extra on a good quality one and your babies will be that much better looking as well as will fetch top dollar :)

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Originally Posted by bobmurffy

agreed... even a 800-900 gram girl should be pushing 1400 grams by next year and will give you a solid 4 - 6 egg clutch. Search around and find something that has good color... alot of pastels pale out with they hit that 800-1000 gram weight, but if spend a little extra on a good quality one and your babies will be that much better looking as well as will fetch top dollar :)

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x2 Always look for quality! There's no sense breeding a browned out Pastel just because she's bigger.

Though personally, I would just buy a well started Super Pastel hatchling and raise it up. Breeding sooner sounds nice but think of it like this, would you rather have a 25% chance of hitting a Bumblebee between a SpiderxPastel pairing next year or be able to produce a clutch of 50% Pastels/50% Bumblebees in the next two years? It's a better guarantee to get what you want without worry about the odds gods screwing you over. o:

Thanks for the replies! Dixie Serpent Den as a ton of Pastel females up for grabs all different ages and weights. I'm having a really hard time choosing. The one I was first attracted to was a 2010 950g girl that is DSD line. She has great coloring, but I don't think she'll ever be a big girl. I've been talking to Rachel and she said she has a great feeding response and would be bigger if they fed frequently. And am I correct in saying that some girls never get big, but that doesn't mean they'll never produce? She'll be coming up on her 4th winter next year.

**PHOTOS FROM DIXIE SERPENT DEN'S FACEBOOK ALBUM OF AVAILABLE ANIMALS**
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...le_pastel2.jpg

The other girl I was looking at is a 2011 and already at 1383 grams. She has good coloring too.

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...le_pastel1.jpg

They have other 2008s and 2009s, some proven, but I've narrowed it down to these 2. Thoughts on them?

And you do have a point with the Super Pastels, but I really do want to at least start next year. I'll already have 3 little 2013 females that are years away from being ready.

Between the two, I like the banding on the first girl much better. I bred a 4 year-old at 1200g. She is now 1800+g after regaining her prelay weight. Sometimes, breeding will actually stimulate growth. You just want to make sure she is old enough and has good body condition before pairing.

Rachel took another pic of her today. I'm definitely going with the top girl. Check out her banding!

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file..._pastel_bp.jpg

Call me crazy, but her headstamp looks a lot like my pastel enchi.

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

Call me crazy, but her headstamp looks a lot like my pastel enchi.

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I thought that too when I first looked at her.

Definitely go with that girl! Even if she isn't enchi, she will produce some great banded babies. Pair her with an enchi!

Get a female that is already breeder weight! If you get a 800-1000g female and she decides to hit that infamous "Wall", you will be SOL next year.