Continue breeding even after lock?

Hi, I am about to start breeding for the first time this November, but have a question. I'm breeding balls and they are both the correct weights. I am planning to breed one male and one female so the little chap will only be breeding with the one lady. I have done lots of research and read about putting the male in for 2 days on and 2 days off. My question is: After I observe a good lock and copulation, should I continue to put the male in with the female every few days? Does it matter how much they breed together, the more the merrier? From what I have read he will be breeding with the same female for several months!

I hope the question is clear, thanks in advance for any help!

Aubrey.

Good question, Aubrey. My het clown male has one female this season as well. I'll be interested in the responses!

I had the same question about single pairings so I asked Adam in a PM. Here is his response (I am sure he won't mind me posting it)

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When I do one to one pairings I still do the same 2 day cycles in and out of the females tub ... seems like after a couple of days the pair gets "stale" and taking the male out for a little bit and resting him and then putting him back in livens things up again. Also, with one to one pairings something I just do 3 on, 4 off with the pair ... it's nice because it's a lot easier on the male than running him through a bunch of girls and having him do all that work.

Hope this helps

-adam

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Yah, but how many times do we do put them together, that is the question! :D

I've got "lockage" on the first pairing, they'll be separated on Friday, with a four day rest, so then due to be back together again Tuesday evening.

Do you do it until she ovulates? Do you observe X amount of locks?

Yes, thats the question, how many lockages is enough to make sure the female is impregnated? 1, 2, 10? Thanks for your help :)

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Yah, but how many times do we do put them together, that is the question! :D

I've got "lockage" on the first pairing, they'll be separated on Friday, with a four day rest, so then due to be back together again Tuesday evening.

Do you do it until she ovulates? Do you observe X amount of locks?

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You keep putting them back together. I do it till I notice an ovulation or they just quit "locking up" (but in most cases I put them together on/off for what seems a couple of months at least).

Hope this helps,
Sean

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

You keep putting them back together. I do it till I notice an ovulation or they just quit "locking up" (but in most cases I put them together on/off for what seems a couple of months at least).

Hope this helps,
Sean

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That is exactly what I was told...Keep pairing them till they show no interest in each other.

;)


then you just cross your fingers...pray to the odds Gods and wait...for what feels like forever!

:oops:

Why am I terrified? I'm so afraid I'm going to screw up! I'm getting myself all worked up on making an incubator - and feel like I need to make it NOW! LOL

Sounds like I have a little window of time if you're pairing up for months.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Why am I terrified? I'm so afraid I'm going to screw up! I'm getting myself all worked up on making an incubator - and feel like I need to make it NOW! LOL

Sounds like I have a little window of time if you're pairing up for months.

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Just relax - deep breath - everything will go just fine :)

There are a lot of steps to get to eggs, folicle development, ovulation, egg building, POS, eggs finally...but I understand I built my new incubator last month :D

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Sounds like I have a little window of time if you're pairing up for months.

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Well...you have a few months at the very least!

I am so excited for you Robin!

:clap:

I think I'm going to lose my mind! :rolleye2:

"going to"????? Sorry hon, think that's already happened! LMAO :P

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

"going to"????? Sorry hon, think that's already happened! LMAO :P

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Daang it! You beat me to it Jo!

:P

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Originally Posted by rabernet

I think I'm going to lose my mind! :rolleye2:

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Haha I'll certainly second that, seems like the most stressful thing ever! :O

Deep beaths and think about all those cute little snakey heads poking out the eggs :P

Hey, I just realised I started a thread that didn't fizzle out in 2 replies :D

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Originally Posted by aubrey

Hey, I just realised I started a thread that didn't fizzle out in 2 replies :D

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Yeah i hate it when that happens....

So, as far as I can make out, I should give him two days on and perhaps four days off the job so they don't get stale, and then just continue putting them together for a couple of months or until they loose interest. Correct?

You keep putting them together and seperating them over and over and over again until you see an ovulation. There are some schools of thought that believe that repeated breedings are necessary to actually trigger a female to start developing folicles. When breeding your balls, more is always better.

Mark

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Originally Posted by aubrey

So, as far as I can make out, I should give him two days on and perhaps four days off the job so they don't get stale, and then just continue putting them together for a couple of months or until they loose interest. Correct?

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Since I like to keep my weeks whole (makes tracking easier) I would suggest 3 days with 4 days off (being fed during the 4 days off). This way he is with her the same days each week. Then yes keep doing it till you notice ovulation or they loose interest...but either way this will pry be a couple of months or more.

Good luck this season.

Hope this helps,
Sean

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Why am I terrified? I'm so afraid I'm going to screw up! I'm getting myself all worked up on making an incubator - and feel like I need to make it NOW! LOL

Sounds like I have a little window of time if you're pairing up for months.

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I hear ya on that Robin! My BP's are still in cooling till the first of Nov and I'm already freaking out about getting the incubator made and up and running. Then again when I get an idea I want to be able to do it right then and there. I'm so impatient. I hate waiting!

Thats great, thank you all very much. I normally feed all my snakes on Sunday night, so I think Monday and Tuesday to let food settle, Breeding Weds, Thurs and Fri and Then rest again.

I did the 3 days on, 3 days off with my male who was 450g at the time. He seemed happy eating every 6 days :) Fatbutt snake. Both females seemed to ovulate quickly(started breeding them the beginning of February and got ovulation in May, I think), and everything was smooth sailing.

Now I just have to find a bigger incubator! Mine only holds 3 clutches max :)

OK, so then I'm unlikely to have a clutch in December then? I can probably breath more now! I was really feeling like my window was very small (she was already producing follicles).

Hey good for you! I've just bought a gorgeous little pastel male but he won't be ready to go until next season, so I'm going with two normals, I think it will be a good start to gain some experience, then perhaps next season I will get another female to get two clutches from the pastel.
So for this year I will have to make an incubator just for the one clutch :)

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Originally Posted by rabernet

OK, so then I'm unlikely to have a clutch in December then? I can probably breath more now! I was really feeling like my window was very small (she was already producing follicles).

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From what I can understand you've still got quite a while before you see some eggs.

Just from my experience last year. This is with help from a very reputable person here. Was if only using 1 male to 1 female Put them together 3 days or until they finish a lock and wait 10-12 days before placing them together. I did this and got 6 eggs so it worked well for me.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

OK, so then I'm unlikely to have a clutch in December then? I can probably breath more now! I was really feeling like my window was very small (she was already producing follicles).

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Yea I doubt if you see eggs before December. Of course if he fertilizes her on the first go round and she ovulates in the next week or so. Then your pushed.
Remember look for bowl - wrapping (cool seeking), lumping, then they glow, then they build, then ovulate, then the pre lay shed, heat seeking, then the lay.

www.Ballpythons.ca Great pics of what to look for.

Best of luck

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

Remember look for bowl - wrapping (cool seeking), lumping, then they glow, then they build, then ovulate, then the pre lay shed, heat seeking, then the lay.

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So now that all of us first timers got relaxed you gotta bring up all this stuff we weren't worried about for a minute :rolleye2:

Wow there's just no end to the fun and games! :D

I don't know about breeding but I think you should keep on breeding the pair.

Breed on, my friend, breed on!

lucky the burm didn't swallow you whole ;) I've kept snakes for over 15 years, but only just starting to breed them..... Very exciting!!!

What are you breeding? Normal to normal?

I've been wondering about this too, awesome thread! :colbert2:

Breeding Normal to Normal this year and have a lovely pastel to start breeding with next season.

I like to see seven good locks to feel pretty good. As to when she is gonna lay depends on her cycle. I'm a believer in the cool down and introduce male to influence her to produce follicles. one of my girls dropped eggs the second week of Feburary last year which is pretty early. If you keep good notes on her feeding and shedding and it should give you signals of what to look for year after year.

My early girl from last year shed and then refused food for 2 weeks. She is eating again and according to my records from last year that is my clue that she is cycling so my male was introduced and they locked. Most of my other girls will go later(I haven't cooled anyone yet) but they will tell you if you keep good notes and get to know them individualy. Of course some always defy the norm and go whenever :confused: . Catching the ovulation is always the best way to countdown when you are gonna see eggs.

Best of luck to you and everyone this breeding season :carrot:

Thanks very much, I'll try to keep everyone posted. In the meantime, this is the male I will be breeding next season. Isn't he lovely? :D
http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...9/DSC04934.JPG
http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...9/DSC04943.JPG

Oh and one more, this is my favourite! My girlfriend was holding him in one of his few quiet moments and he just poked his head out, glad I had my camera to hand!
http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...948_742848.JPG

Your pastel is beautiful, I'm sure he'll make lots of pretty babies for you!


Quick question folks. So, they were locked last night, and this morning when I left for work. They are not locked now, and are each curled up individually. I had planned to pull him Friday night, and put him back Tuesday night.

Is there a chance he'll lock with her again before Friday, or should I go ahead and pull him now?