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.

if they aren't breeders then they are feeders.have fun!

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Originally Posted by twh

if they aren't breeders then they are feeders.have fun!

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And there you go.

Short, sweet and to the point :)

Excellent

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Originally Posted by Bruce Whitehead

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

I will simply CO2 them and feed them off.

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Same.

Mine have a good life too, wheel, treat etc however it is not realistic for me to retire every single breeder I own, I breed for food so when retirement comes the breeders are fed off.

For my asf, I fed the retired breeders. For my rats it really depends on their willingness to let me handle litters. I have one rat that is a gem, she dosen't care if I push her off a litter, pick them up and do whatever I want to them and put them back (or not). I let her teach the other younger rat moms. She is too big as a feeder for me (she is HUGE) the other ones when they get too large I trade them in for smaller rats and feed those. I do breed for temperment and I have had a few I have found homes for but that is an exception rather than a rule. I once got a "rehoming" fee of $10 for one retired female. LOL if I was offered that again I wouldn't pass it up ;)

My boa takes care of them :)

They are treated as pets... but when they are done, they are done.