So what do YOU do with your "retired" breeders?

My original trio has gotten old. I started getting babies fairly soon after getting them with in about 2 months. They have produced 1 litter apiece every month for 6 months, and raised others as needed.
My original male suddenly went down hill and was suffering so I did the humane thing then fed him off.
His last gift was to leave both pregnant and now their offspring are almost ready to wean.
I intend to use a young male born from my other breeding trio, and one female from them and a female from a new litter due in a few weeks from the other trio, who now have a another new unrelated male in with them.
So the new trio will be only partially related, Or I may use two females to the male as they won't be related at all.

ANy way, I want to retire my two older females, as one is actually rather tame for an ASFR. They have a good life with hides, a wheel and good food...
Do you retire your old feeders OR do you feed them off?

I have not retired any yet, but have no plans to keep them afterwards.

I know of another member on here that is keeping her retirees around so that she can find out lifespan and eventual size, a few things like that.

I will simply CO2 them and feed them off.

I have 4 females that are producing less and less as it is, and their daughters are almost at the point of being able to carry litters.

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Originally Posted by Montessa Python

My original trio has gotten old. I started getting babies fairly soon after getting them with in about 2 months. They have produced 1 litter apiece every month for 6 months, and raised others as needed.
My original male suddenly went down hill and was suffering so I did the humane thing then fed him off.
His last gift was to leave both pregnant and now their offspring are almost ready to wean.
I intend to use a young male born from my other breeding trio, and one female from them and a female from a new litter due in a few weeks from the other trio, who now have a another new unrelated male in with them.
So the new trio will be only partially related, Or I may use two females to the male as they won't be related at all.

ANy way, I want to retire my two older females, as one is actually rather tame for an ASFR. They have a good life with hides, a wheel and good food...
Do you retire your old feeders OR do you feed them off?

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My main breeder girl, will retire.
She had a group of stillborns, but is still the best mother around. I'm giving her one more shot and retiring her. :]
The others, not so sure about.

I fed mine off and got another new group.

I don't have anything to feed "retired" breeders too so I will be keeping them around till mother nature decides otherwise. I only have a trio so it won't be too bad. Eventually the 2 RTBs will need the larger prey but I do tend to get a bit too attached once they get past 6 weeks or so.

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Originally Posted by Debbienflorida

I don't have anything to feed "retired" breeders too so I will be keeping them around till mother nature decides otherwise. I only have a trio so it won't be too bad. Eventually the 2 RTBs will need the larger prey but I do tend to get a bit too attached once they get past 6 weeks or so.

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Your ball pythons can't eat an adult ASF?

I let my retired breeders live out their lives in their groups if they are accepting of the newbies that I add to keep the colony active and have the oldsters teach the newer. If they prove unable to accept newcomers, they are fed off. (I know cause they will have battle scars..those retirees that have fresh battle scars are fed off).

If they are cool in their tubs..they live out their lives..However, if I need a feeder, they are the first ones fed off.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Your ball pythons can't eat an adult ASF?

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I apologize...........I missed the ASF category and was thinking "rats". :rolleye2: Yes they could, but I haven't tried breeding ASFs yet. Sorry for the confusion. Both balls are on rat pups. Breeding them even for 4 snakes I can get the exact size I need most everytime instead of what's available.

My retired breeders become permanently retired after they are fed off. ;)

Feed them off ,will switch them out if they don't fight.