Mojave breeding!

This little guy is only 346grams!!!
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...vesex20002.jpg

The only thing I can think to say is ROCK ON!!! (to borrow words from the Great One! LOL)

Awesome Jas! ... I had a small male (not mojave) get r done for me this weekend as well. ;)

He's a nice light one too!

-adam

Thanks... I just hope she takes!!

good luck john! hope things go for you.


adam, the little man got r dun!


vaughn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kavmon

adam, the little man got r dun!

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You knew I was gonna try it! :P

-adam

Okay just in the interests of learning more about reproduction, I didn't know male ball pythons are sexually mature that small (young). How do you know he's ready? Is it possible for a young male like that to go through the "motions" but not actually be fertile enough yet to actually get fertile eggs down the road?

What are the benefits vs risks of using young males?

This is all really fascinating stuff!


~~Jo~~

adam, that's good and bad news for me! lol i'm going to need a 2nd job now!!!


vaughn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Okay just in the interests of learning more about reproduction, I didn't know male ball pythons are sexually mature that small (young). How do you know he's ready? Is it possible for a young male like that to go through the "motions" but not actually be fertile enough yet to actually get fertile eggs down the road?

What are the benefits vs risks of using young males?

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You know he's "ready" to at least try out because he's producing sperm and courting females ... his instinct and his body are telling him to go! ... The problem is fertility ... sperm count and sperm motility are big problems for young males ... most will court and breed girls, but a majority of young males will not be able to inseminate the female with enough strong sperm and it is highly probable that she will slug out.

It's a huge gamble with young males, and is really something that takes a lot of experience to be able to accurately @@@@@ the overall physical condition of the young male prior to putting him into a breeding program as well as the eye to be able to identify illness in a ball python at it's earliest stages.

Breeding takes a TREMENDOUS physical toll on males, it weakens their immune system and can compromise their health ... young males are generally not very good at being able to breed and fight off illness and very often become sick when breeding too young is attempted. One of the first pinstripe males released for sale came extremely close to dying after being bred too young and took so long to recover it almost wasn't ready in time for the next breeding season. Other breeders haven't been so lucky and have lost valuable mutations such as lessers, butters, and fires (and those are just the ones that I know of) from breeding too young.

The benefit of course if you are successful is being one full year ahead in your breeding projects ... the down side of course is death.

I would never encourage anyone to breed a young male. Unless you have a TON of experience knowing what "red flags" to look for during the process, the results could be devastating. Jas has been around the block with these animals a few times and I'm sure he knows how to get it done without putting his young male in jeopardy.

IMO, breeding young males like that is definitely something best left for the “big dogs”! ;)

-adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kavmon

adam, that's good and bad news for me! lol i'm going to need a 2nd job now!!!

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You know I'll probably keep them all anyway. :P

-adam

Thanks Vaughn, I think he'll do good this year! LOL

Adam, Whats up your sleeve?!?!

Jo, I bred My pastel last year at 350grams. And got 2 clutches from him. Risks? None that I know of Just keeping a very close eye on him.. Benefits? I get Mojaves a year early!!

Thanks Adam, that was exactly the kind of information I was hoping for and I always appreciate the time to put into these responses. Thanks as well Jas, I love knowing how all you breeders figure things out. Hopefully someday in our small way we'll join your ranks LOL. That young male Mojave of yours is a gorgeous male btw and I hope he does very well by you!

I know for experienced folks these things are second nature to know, but for folks like Mike and I were are so early into this learning curve that it just seems we'll never know enough LOL.

Gotta love this forum and it's members! I really get a kick out of any piece of information/knowledge that I can file away for some future day.


~~Jo~~

Thanks Jo, And like Adam said, No one should attemped breeding so young with out Years of experience. I should have posted that in my original post..

Oh no problem Jas. Anytime a breeding topic comes up I tend to jump in with my Top 1,000 Questions I Need Answered Before Fall 2006 anyways LOL! Gawd knows how you folks put up with me but I surely do appreciate it.

Now I want to see pics when that lovely male's babies are hatched.

Totally off topic but...did you ever determine what sort those leopard tortoises that your daughter has are? Stunning looking little buggers whatever they are!


~~Jo~~