I'm at my wits end

[rabernet]

and would like some feedback/suggestions.

Winston has been one of my most anticipated breedings this year. I have two females for him. Sierra, my banded female, and Pandora, my bright yellow female.

His very first lock was with Sierra. He was slow to warm up to Pandora. I have not observed any other locks with Sierra since the first one. They curl up at opposite ends of the enclosure. I've tried buddy breeding (both females in with him) and he always chooses Pandora.

I've put him in with Sierra at the start of a weather system moving in, misted them, put him in when she's not in shed, when she is in shed. When he's in shed, when he's not in shed. I've put sperm plugs from another male on her back, I've put Pandora's shed in with them. I leave them together for three days at a time.

Last night we had a system move in and I've tried the buddy breeding again last night, this morning, it's no surprise that he's locked with Pandora again.

In your experience, is it more likely that he doesn't care for Sierra, or that she's not being receptive to him? IE, who's the problem here?

Murphy comes out of QT next week. I also have Zaphod, my Jolliff tiger. I think it's time for me to acknowledge that I'm spinning my wheels trying to pair Winston with her any longer. Maybe, if the ball gods smile on me, the only lock will result in some lemon pastels. But I'm now considering rotating both Zaphod and Murphy in with her. Since they are both young, that gives them both long breaks between breeding so as not to over stress either of them.

And it would give me a great shot at some really nice tigers with Zaphod's genetics, and her banded pattern, or a great shot at some really nice mojaves.

I'm open to suggestions, thoughts or feedback.