Is my excitement premature?

This is my first season purposefully breeding balls and things are looking great. I was always suspicious of dropping temps due to fear of animals going off feed. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that all my balls went into garbage disposal mode.

Also, this weekend I decided to start pairing snakes together. All five of my 07 males (I'm not trying to breed the 08 boys yet) locked up with their mate almost immediately and stayed that way for at least a day and some of them are on their second female. I just got off of work and all are locked up at the moment.

This is too awesome. :)

David

congrats!! sounds awsome! can't wait to be in your situation next year!! my boys are 08s.

When you drop temps, the idea is for them to go off feed. They don't have the heat to properly digest.

Females will begin to develop follicles, and need a cooler temp so they don't slug out.

Depending on the amount you drop the temps this may spur an incress in feeding. When they start to get ready to breed the do start eating everything in sight. This helps them to maintain the proper nutrition they will for the stress their bodys go through. I have seen mine go off feed at the begining of this breeding season then again I had them eat everything they could till about 5 days before the OVY. Its going to depend on the animal.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

When you drop temps, the idea is for them to go off feed. They don't have the heat to properly digest.

Females will begin to develop follicles, and need a cooler temp so they don't slug out.

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I'm only doing a 5 degree drop at night on the hot end of 90-92 F. Also, from what many of the experienced breeders have said a lot of their royals pound more food prior to ovulation than any other time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lucas339

congrats!! sounds awsome! can't wait to be in your situation next year!! my boys are 08s.

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Thanks!

Yep I'm excited. I will start breeding my 08 males towards the end of December. I can't let the opportunity slip away. I don't like the idea of not letting my new pied and bumblebee spread their seed.

I didn't think you only dropped 5 degrees. But, you did say your just starting..........

And honestly, I have never heard "a bunch" of people saying these animals eat all the way up to ovulation is a normal thing.

Mine are pounding food right now..

Alan

I don't drop the temp of my heat tape, but the house cools down a bit with winter aproaching. My girls have a range of 70-75 to 85-90 in their tubs and most hang out in the front or middle. They are mostly still eating and will digest on the heat for a couple days and then they are back in the front of their tubs wrapping their bowls.

It's never too early to get excited David. Best of luck with making some beautiful babies! :gj: