How long for females to reach breeding size?

I am planning on picking up a female hatchling at a reptile show pretty soon. My question is about how long would it take for me to breed her? Would she be ready in 2 years?

In two years you should be able to get her up to size, with size being more important than age. Many people will breed a female when she is just over a year old if they can get her up to 1200 grams or more, but what I've seen with this is that they will have a small clutch and then may not produce at all the following year. I won't breed a female that is below 1500 grams, but I'd like them to be as big as possible. If they are 1500 grams when they lay they will be far less afterwards, as a clutch can weigh quite a bit. Post pictures when you get your girl.

Two years is possible, but three years is a better bet. They all grow at their own rate, and every breeder has a minimum weight at which they will start breeding their females.

Thanks guys, I am only worried because in 4 years I will be off to college and away from my snakes for a year or two (until I get my own place) My parents can take care of them, but obviously they will not be breeding. Just out of curiosity, how much more would I expect to pay for a 2010 or 11 girl insetad of 2012?

It's possible for a female to breed within 2 years. I had a girl lay this year at 22 months old...a nice 7 egg clutch.

I don't believe that weight is more important than age is. Weight definitely has a factor in them breeding but you also want the female to mature. Would you take another animal that is at a mature weight but has yet to actually mature and breed them. I know I would not.

Now can a female BP reach breeding maturity in two years, yes they can. They all do mature at their own rates.

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Originally Posted by EAC Reptiles

I don't believe that weight is more important than age is. Weight definitely has a factor in them breeding but you also want the female to mature. Would you take another animal that is at a mature weight but has yet to actually mature and breed them. I know I would not.

Now can a female BP reach breeding maturity in two years, yes they can. They all do mature at their own rates.

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x2. This.

Some females can stay small their whole lives. Ive heard of ppl having old females that are only 1200 grams. They still give them a healthy smaller clutch most years but the snake just wont grow any bigger. Theyre petite lol.

And a female wont breed until shes ready to, aka sexually mature. Even if you can get one to 1500 grams in 2 years doesnt gurantee theyll go for you.

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Originally Posted by EAC Reptiles

I don't believe that weight is more important than age is. Weight definitely has a factor in them breeding but you also want the female to mature. Would you take another animal that is at a mature weight but has yet to actually mature and breed them. I know I would not.

Now can a female BP reach breeding maturity in two years, yes they can. They all do mature at their own rates.

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I agree, I've had a spider that's gotten up to weight in under 2 years but I personally wouldn't breed so young.
I wait until at least 3 years old and she must be at least 1500g. Those are my guidelines, just because a female COULD breed at two, doesn't exactly mean she SHOULD. I compare it to a human female teenager having a child vs. a mid 20s female. Chances are there's less risks is the female is more mature. But those are just my own opinions that I use with my breeders. I won't risk the well being of a female just because I'm impatient.

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They all eat and grow differently. Some females will eat every week regardless of anything even in shed and never go off feed. These aggressive eating females will grow very quickly. Others are much more picky and constantly skip meals and go off feed around 1000grams always it seems. These will obviously take longer. I have 2 female hold backs( BumbleBee and Lesserbee ) that just turned 1 year old this month. One is 1200 grams and the other 1100 already. I have a Chocolate and Spotnose coming up on 2 and they are both over 2000 grams. I have a 2 year old Mojave only 800 grams, so it all depends on your girl..

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Originally Posted by mues155

Those are my guidelines, just because a female COULD breed at two, doesn't exactly mean she SHOULD. I compare it to a human female teenager having a child vs. a mid 20s female. Chances are there's less risks is the female is more mature.

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I disagree. Bc following that logic would mean once females reach a certain age they cant breed anymore. Or if they do there would be much more complications. Just like there are for women once they hit 40. Or even over 30 or 35 in some cases nowadays.

To our knowledge female balls can breed for their whole lives. A 30 y/o bp doesnt produce a worse clutch than a 3 y/o one. And if im wrong then someone show me some studies lol.

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Originally Posted by mues155

I wait until at least 3 years old and she must be at least 1500g.

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What happens when you have a 4+ year old just hovering at 1300-1400 grams, short and stout, not eating a lot, but enough that she's in fine physical shape...are you just never going to breed her?

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Originally Posted by mues155

I won't risk the well being of a female just because I'm impatient.

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It doesn't just boil down to being impatient. I started pairing my cinny girl at 1,800 grams and 18 months old after I felt follicles developing and did not feel that I was putting her at any extra risk. I have older females that I did not breed because I was not too thrilled with their behavior. I'm comfortable with dealing with my snakes on an individual basis rather than going by a blanket of rules that cover all of them.

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Originally Posted by RobNJ

What happens when you have a 4+ year old just hovering at 1300-1400 grams, short and stout, not eating a lot, but enough that she's in fine physical shape...are you just never going to breed her?




It doesn't just boil down to being impatient. I started pairing my cinny girl at 1,800 grams and 18 months old after I felt follicles developing and did not feel that I was putting her at any extra risk. I have older females that I did not breed because I was not too thrilled with their behavior. I'm comfortable with dealing with my snakes on an individual basis rather than going by a blanket of rules that cover all of them.

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I just had a 3 yr old female that's barely made it to 1200g before laying and gave me 5 perfect eggs and went all the way down to 780g after laying. She is healthy as can be and pounding rats...

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

I disagree. Bc following that logic would mean once females reach a certain age they cant breed anymore. Or if they do there would be much more complications. Just like there are for women once they hit 40. Or even over 30 or 35 in some cases nowadays.

To our knowledge female balls can breed for their whole lives. A 30 y/o bp doesnt produce a worse clutch than a 3 y/o one. And if im wrong then someone show me some studies lol.

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I'm not talking about older bps.
I'm talking about a young first timer breeder.
These are just MY personal guidelines.
I'm not saying anyone else should follow them.
of course there are exceptions, each bp is an individual.
I'm just saying I personally don't feel comfortable breeding a female if she's either under 3 or under 1500g. I have a 4 year old bp right now that's 1300g, she will be bred this fall because I feel comfortable.
As far as having a 3 yr + female under 1500g then it would depend on the snake and how she's feeding and if she wants to take a male.
That's cool if you guys have different opinions but I don't get why I'm pretty much getting grilled because I voiced my opinion. nowhere in my post did I say the op should follow it. It's all purely IMO

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I wasnt grilling you. I said "i disagree" then shared my opinion. You can do whatever you want, im not trying to tell you what to do lol :p

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

I wasnt grilling you. I said "i disagree" then shared my opinion. You can do whatever you want, im not trying to tell you what to do lol :p

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I know, I'm just speaking in general.
And thanks I will do what I want lol :p

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It has more to do with sexual maturity (age) than weight in my opinion. You can breed a female in 2 years, but does that mean she'll actually produce? Maybe, maybe not. It's always just safer to wait 3 years.

You can have a older small female and breed her as long as she's in good health and proportionally fit. She can be short, but well muscled and still breed fine.

The weight to length ratio of a snake is just important than the actual weight of a snake too. A snake can be over 1500 grams but be long and thin. I probably wouldn't feel comfortable breeding that type of snake until she gains more mass. Plus a long thin snake doesn't have the same reserves as a more massive snake and would probably make a poor breeder.