Burning out the males ?

I used to breed my males to a different female every week during the breeding season a few years ago, in the past two years, I've started introducing males a month after the start of cooling only once to every female, some copulated and some didn't.

I then wait for a shed cycle on the females and then introduce them to the males, most females were bred twice and at the most 4 copulations during the breeding cycle. I got 30 odd clutches last year and only one single slug, I see and hear people breeding their females up to 12 times, I guess that is fine BUT if you have a male that needs to service many females, aren't you afraid of burning out the males too early in the season when in fact, the last few cops before the ovulation are the most important ones.

What is the general consensus on maximising a particular male without burning him out?

Noone has replied to this yet? Yeesh, people be slackin... ;)

I tend to lean more towards one lock per shed cycle for each female. I believe I read about it on Markus Jayne's site. I figure if it works for someone with a collection that large, it should work ok for my small collection. :gj:

I put my males 3days on 3 days off. and give them a week off every month

I hear a lot more of people doing x days on x days off, so I'd probably go for that over just trying one time.

I am breeding 7 females to 1 male, I go easy in the beginning 1 female/week to get the females building then once i feel follicles i switch to 3 on 3 off, if i don't see a lock he goes straight to the next female without a break.

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

I hear a lot more of people doing x days on x days off, so I'd probably go for that over just trying one time.

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The X days on and X days off is used more for when you don't have time to notice if they're actually locking up or not. Once you've got a lock, you've got a lock. The deed is done and there's no reason to throw the male back in right away. Technically, you only need one lock to fertilize the eggs. The reason we do it multiple times over a period of months is because the presence of a male will usually trigger the female into developing folicles.

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Originally Posted by the odds god

I used to breed my males to a different female every week during the breeding season a few years ago, in the past two years, I've started introducing males a month after the start of cooling only once to every female, some copulated and some didn't.

I then wait for a shed cycle on the females and then introduce them to the males, most females were bred twice and at the most 4 copulations during the breeding cycle. I got 30 odd clutches last year and only one single slug, I see and hear people breeding their females up to 12 times, I guess that is fine BUT if you have a male that needs to service many females, aren't you afraid of burning out the males too early in the season when in fact, the last few cops before the ovulation are the most important ones.

What is the general consensus on maximising a particular male without burning him out?

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Last year I did exactly what you stated. I bred my males like crazy. It worked, and I got a lot of clutches, but I do not think that it was necessary. This season, I am going to introduce the males once every shed cycle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the odds god

I used to breed my males to a different female every week during the breeding season a few years ago, in the past two years, I've started introducing males a month after the start of cooling only once to every female, some copulated and some didn't.

I then wait for a shed cycle on the females and then introduce them to the males, most females were bred twice and at the most 4 copulations during the breeding cycle. I got 30 odd clutches last year and only one single slug, I see and hear people breeding their females up to 12 times, I guess that is fine BUT if you have a male that needs to service many females, aren't you afraid of burning out the males too early in the season when in fact, the last few cops before the ovulation are the most important ones.

What is the general consensus on maximising a particular male without burning him out?

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I agree 110% :gj: A lil birdie from this site told me how pairing animals up ever other week like many do actually serve no benefit to the hatching results. And like you said, there is belief that over-breeding can result in more slugs. So in short...save your male the stress and let him relax a bit more and perhaps you will get better results from your clutches! :banana:

As for the burnout question...I dont know? :P

I know that i would enjoy reading a write up of various techniques and their success rates from the people who employ them.

::nudge::

It's my first time breeding. I separate them on feeding day and then let them rest for 3 days after. They have locked a couple times and don't seem stressed at all that they are with eachother. They just hang out laying on eachother or balled up in their respective corners (sideways rack) when they are not locked. Seems like they prefer to be close. The girl has wrapped the water bowl. and Is now generally in a perfect coil. That means shes preggers, yes?