Breeding Season - Is there an unofficial time?

[BPHERP]

Speaking of "Breeding Season", is there an official/unofficial time/date, etc?

BrandonsBalls

[Alice]

Depends on who you talk to. Several breeders I know are exploring breeding year round and others have been doing that for a while. Those that use an ultrasound seem to have found out that some of their girls begin developing follicles outside of our "usual" breeding schedule.

Most of the stuff I've seen talks about cooling in late fall (October-November time frame), putting them together a few weeks after you begin cooling, and then breeding till the females ovulate or a certain date, whichever comes first. I've seen the last date to breed as early as February 14 and other posts/books talk about going until April.

What does everyone else do?

[rabernet]

This is just my third season, but I start to watch my females and their behaviors in October. Those that start cool seeking, soaking in dishes, refusing meals etc - I start to pair up with males. I generally breed until I witness ovulation. I plan to only pair each female once a month - MAYBE 2 x a month this season, rather than 3 days on, 4 days off cycle.

[Bill Buchman]

I am breeding year-round with no cooling. The 2 things that I have found different/difficult so far are keeping ambient temps during summer months in proper range and keeping a closer eye on males weight and eating habits.

[waltah!]

I don't plan on cooling and I start pairing them up when the female stops feeding. I'm not in that huge of a hurry to start so when they're ready it's alright by me.

[BPHERP]

So, nobody here cools them, you just watch for behavior and introduce males?

[WingedWolfPsion]

I cooled last year, and got RIs in the spring. I'm not cooling this year, and I'm getting lockups all over the place, so we'll see how it goes.

[rabernet]

So, nobody here cools them, you just watch for behavior and introduce males?

I don't lower my heat tape, but the cool end of the enclosure does get cooler in the winter - but I don't manipulate the temps, never have.

There are folks who do cool, they just haven't chimed in yet.

[Freakie_frog]

I leave the heat tape alone and drop the temps in the room.

My cool sides are 75-78 and the hot sides are 85-90. I've noticed some of my girls that have rode this ride before starting to spend more time on the cool side..

So Monday I'm moving some males around.

[snakelady]

My room cools in the winter naturally.