first time mating

[Godzilla78]

in an effort to prove out my dinkier female Godzilla as an Araza morph, I am trying to breed her to my large adult normal male. This way I should get about 50% normals and 50% godzillas!

I have a 2 year old male 4.5 feet long, and 4 year old female, 5 feet long. I haven't weigher them, but they are very large for sure. They are both definitely mature enough and large enough to breed. They are both virgins and I have put them together twice for 48 hours each time, but they seem lost, and haven't seen them locked yet. I have them together again for the last 48 hours, but with no lock. I'm going to leave them together for 4-5 days this time.
The male has been fasting for 3 weeks and is restlessly always trying to get out of his cage, to get to the female. I don't think he is the problem. I'm thinking maybe the female is stressed? I've only had her for 3 months, and she still gets nervous and sometimes hisses when I come close to her. What should I do to encourage mating?

[Starscream]

I don't know the answer to the question, but I am curious about your math. Is Araza a gene with a super form or is it an incomplete dominant? If your girl isn't a super, doesn't that mean the babies would be 75% normal, 25% Araza?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

First it is still very early in the season.

You already paired them twice in 3 months you have had the female? Did you actually quarantine her? 90 days should really be a minimum especially if you plan on pairing the animal.

There is absolutely no need to leave them for 4 or 5 days together, 2 max is more than enough. There is also no need to pair them more than once a month.

What you need to do is

Pay attention to the female's behavior and changes in behavior

You need to pair when it is favorable, low pressure, rain, storm, snow etc

You can use the sperm plug of another male to smear on the female's back

You can use the shed of another female to place in the female's enclosure when being paired.

They are not all that receptive that early on, some males will not even start locking until the female start to develop follicles, some animals will never lock (some female are rather picky about the male they lock with), some animal will lock and you will never see it.

It's only October 29th it's gonna be a long road before eggs if it happens and right now I would not be concern after 2 pairings.

[Godzilla78]

I don't know the answer to the question, but I am curious about your math. Is Araza a gene with a super form or is it an incomplete dominant? If your girl isn't a super, doesn't that mean the babies would be 75% normal, 25% Araza?

Araza is a dominant gene, just like normal morph. So each egg has a 50/50 chance.

[Godzilla78]

First it is still very early in the season.

You already paired them twice in 3 months you have had the female? Did you actually quarantine her? 90 days should really be a minimum especially if you plan on pairing the animal.

There is absolutely no need to leave them for 4 or 5 days together, 2 max is more than enough. There is also no need to pair them more than once a month.

What you need to do is

Pay attention to the female's behavior and changes in behavior

You need to pair when it is favorable, low pressure, rain, storm, snow etc

You can use the sperm plug of another male to smear on the female's back

You can use the shed of another female to place in the female's enclosure when being paired.

They are not all that receptive that early on, some males will not even start locking until the female start to develop follicles, some animals will never lock (some female are rather picky about the male they lock with), some animal will lock and you will never see it.

It's only October 29th it's gonna be a long road before eggs if it happens and right now I would not be concern after 2 pairings.

Thanks, I am totally a noob, so I should probably buy a book on breeding.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Thanks, I am totally a noob, so I should probably buy a book on breeding.

I don't think there is a need for a book but I always recommend this for people who are breeding their animals for the first time http://ballpython.ca/breeding/

It will help you understanding what you are witnessing along the way and know what to expect as well.

[Ronniex2]

you guys are the best