Big female...little male

Okay folks, I know it's done all the time and I know I've seen pictures of it - but I'm scared witless to put our 06 YB male in with our biggest female. Riordan is a smaller male, only about 800 grams and Brannagh's at 3,400 grams. I know it will likely be okay but I seriously have nightmares about her smooshing him flat or eating him or something equally awful.

So I guess all I really need is some reassurances, pictures, whatever so I can put this down to newbie breeder nerves. Were any of you worried like this about little males and really big females? Am I just being silly? How in the world will Riordan manage to breed her? I have visuals of this poor little guy facing her big butt going "oh good lord where do I start!!!" LOL

Would it be smarter to start him off first with one of the smaller females so he gets some experience first? Dori, Kyna and Orlah are all a good size but none are anywhere near as large as big Brann. Only Orlah has ever bred and produced eggs if that matters at all.

here you go jo, this girl is over 3000 grams.


the male was about 750 grams at the time.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../9/les0118.JPG




vaughn

Thanks Vaughn! Looks like the little fellow of yours found the right end. I know it probably seems silly to you experienced breeders for me to be worrying so much about this. It just hit me last week that I was going to be putting this small male in with this huge female and I think I'm just having a bit of a panic over it.

So would it be a good idea though to let him have his first try on a less hefty girl before taking on Ms Big Butt?

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

So would it be a good idea though to let him have his first try on a less hefty girl before taking on Ms Big Butt?

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More Cushion for the Pushin ;)


Seriously though I wouldn't worry about him being with her first. You can always watch him and if for some reason he seems to be struggling then put him with a different female. But out of the gate I wouldn't alter your breeding plans on an assumption of trouble.

Hope this helps,
Sean

Adam posted a similar picture at the end of last year that was hilarious a little guy with a huge female. Maybe he will chime in with another.... :)

Not really altering Sean since Riordan is to be paired with Brannagh, Orlah and Dori this year anyways with Malachi our 100% het Albino being paired with Kyna. Since Riordan is a little guy we were intending to take it really slowly, making sure he's well rested and so forth between the three females. It's more of trying to figure out if it's better for him if he goes with Orlah or Dori first and Brannagh last since she's the biggest one.

I'm hoping so Judd. I'll likely still end up phoning Adam for reassurance anyways LOL. I just didn't think I'd be this nervous about the size differences with Riordan and Brannagh but I truly am (visions of Brannagh smooshing Riordan and the like).

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

(visions of Brannagh smooshing Riordan and the like).

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XDD Haha! I wouldn't worry about smooshing, in any case. I don't know about the danger of her eating him or him not knowing what to do...but I wouldn't be worried about smooshing. Point in case; when laying on the couch holding my snakes, they always go to a favorite spot, all three of them. That spot? Under my back/butt area. XD If they can handle the squishage of over 100lbs and still flick tongues at me irritably when I move them for fear of smooshage...I'm sure Riordan will be fine!!!

In other news, I like the name Riordan. How'd you come up with it?

How's this?

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ocks-patti.JPG

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

How's this?

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ocks-patti.JPG

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Haha! He looks like he's being sneaky... "Oh man, oh man...I hope she doesn't notice before I'm done!"

I always say! "big girls need love too" he'll be ok, tell him to hold on though! :D

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Originally Posted by reediculous

I always say! "big girls need love too" he'll be ok, tell him to hold on though! :D

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That is wrong in so many ways... lmao

This is a 400g male and a 4000g female. Got 12 good eggs from this pairing.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...DSCN0265_2.jpg

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Originally Posted by pfan151

This is a 400g male and a 4000g female. Got 12 good eggs from this pairing.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...DSCN0265_2.jpg

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Woah... is he even good enough to breed at such a low weight???
I know he's "good enough" 12 eggs is alot... but still.

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Originally Posted by AzureN1ght

Haha! He looks like he's being sneaky... "Oh man, oh man...I hope she doesn't notice before I'm done!"

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You made me spit coffee kim...thanks

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Originally Posted by BallPythonsRule

Woah... is he even good enough to breed at such a low weight???
I know he's "good enough" 12 eggs is alot... but still.

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He was my best breeder by far last season. He hatched early in 06. As long as you don't put young males on too many females they do fine IMO. I think where people can run into problems is when they try to get a young male to breed a dozen females and the male just gets too worn out. You just have to keep an eye on their weight. This guy never stopped eating during breeding season. This year I have a male lesser and a male albino that are about 275g now. I am expecting them to breed later in the season when they put on a little more size, but they will both only get 1 female each.

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

How's this?

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ocks-patti.JPG

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All of the little snakes look up to this guy, he gets ALL the ladies :D :P

Your male will be fine. He knows what to do. :) I wouldn't leave them together for long periods of time when they are not breeding though... In a competition for the hot spot I'm sure the big girl would win.

I've never been good about getting younger males to breed. But some of my smaller males have definitely been the most enthusiastic breeders. :)

Justin

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Originally Posted by jkobylka

But some of my smaller males have definitely been the most enthusiastic breeders. :)

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Short man's disease. /nod

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

More Cushion for the Pushin ;)

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This made me hork coffee out of my nose.:eek:

Here's my 2000+ gram female with my studly little 06' 450g cinny.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/DSC01000.jpg

And again him with a 1400+ gram female
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...XFemale2_1.jpg

I bet he'll be okay Jo!:D

Here you go, Jack at about 600 grams, Anita at ??? - she errored out the scale.


No problems at all :).

http://www.sunsetpythons.com/images/cozy.jpg

Here is my boy Aldo working hard for the $ last year. She walked all over him(literally) but no harm done.
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...esonmyback.jpg This year the ladies should give him a little more respect. I think BP boys like a girl with a little (or alot) of junk in the trunk. :D

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Originally Posted by aaajohnson

Here you go, Jack at about 600 grams, Anita at ??? - she errored out the scale.


No problems at all :).

http://www.sunsetpythons.com/images/cozy.jpg

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she errored out the scale!!!!! how old is she and any idea how much she weighs??? she prolly thinks that the male is one of her young lol

Wow thanks everyone for all the pics of smaller males doing the deed with the big girls. I does make me feel a lot better to know it's not as risky as I was worried it might be and that these smaller males seem to be able to figure out which way is up (so to speak LOL).

Oh and about his name.....Riordan is a celtic name and means "royal poet". All of our ball pythons have either celtic or gaelic names. Makes for a LOT of fun trying to remember how to spell and properly pronounce every snake's name. We try to pick something in the meaning of their names that either describes the snake's look or temperment or is a tribute to someone we know (as in Cara whose name means "friend" as she was a gift from my dear friend, Robin or Saoirse whose name means "freedom and liberty" to honor her being a wild caught adult). :)

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Originally Posted by Het4Something

she errored out the scale!!!!! how old is she and any idea how much she weighs??? she prolly thinks that the male is one of her young lol

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She is an 03, and it was only a 5lb. scale. I would guess in the 2400 gram range. Still nothing compared to some of the females you see, including Joanna's girl she was asking about here. I will say that I bought a new scale (10 lb.) for this year though :D .

Neil

The celtic and gaelic name thing...that's cool!!! I've ended up (unintentionally actually, lol) naming all of mine after characters or elements from media; movies or games. Matika-the tarantula from Jungle 2 Jungle, Basilica-the necromonger warship from Chronicles of Rid****, and Chocobo-the name of a bird species from the Final Fantasy series (he's a pastel and lots of chocobos are bright yellow so..). I think I'm gonna have to make it a theme.

What other names have you used for yours?

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Originally Posted by Seneschal

What other names have you used for yours?

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Well let's see....names with their meanings (ball pythons only)...

Females:

Brannagh - dark beauty
Orlah - golden princess
Saoirse - freedom and liberty
Danu - named after the celtic goddess of fertility
Kyna - love and affection
Rionnach - queenlike
Morag - the great one
Ailish - celtic form of "Elizabeth" - named after one of our daughters
Cara - friend (as mentioned above to honour Robin aka Rabernet)
Fianna - warrioress
Darra - small great one
Niamh - radiance
Doireann - temptetuous weather
Kennis - beautiful
Muirne - high spirited

Males:

Malachi - my angel
Riordan - royal poet
Buddy - named by our 6 year old son who is Buddy's owner - he said this snake from Adam was his "buddy" as soon as we unpacked him :)

Arent all of those males a little small/young to be breeding?

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

Arent all of those males a little small/young to be breeding?

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:P

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

Arent all of those males a little small/young to be breeding?

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Disgusting isn't it?