How early is too early to breed a male?

[ImBooBy]

I just got an early 10 baby from the ATL repticon and I am expecting him to breed this winter. Remember that even in breeding season, they will still eat. Feeding males small meals in between breedings will help them along very well. I have read from someone's breeding page that had a 400gram male breed to a 2500gram female and created fertile babies so you never know.

[LadyOhh]

Just because you expect a male to be big enough doesn't mean that he will have viable sperm, even if he does have plugs. And even if he has plugs, whose to say that he knows how to use them???

DO NOT assume that your male will be ready if he is a baby this year, to breed for you in the Fall of this year.

It can happen. Does it happen often? Not really.

[MarkS]

I know people who have bred males as young as 4 months. I've done this myself with a 6 month old, but then he didn't breed at all the following year, stopped eating well and is still rather small. But this is just my experience with one male, these results may not be typical. I decided several years ago that I'm just not in that big of a hurry anymore and no longer breed males until they're at least a year and usually more.

[kellysballs]

I have had little luck breeding males under 1yr old.

I purchased DJ a male cinnamon in August 2008 he was 150grams. He was the fastest growing ball python I have ever owned he was at least 500 grams and had sperm plugs by the beginning of breeding season. He was continued to grow and eat through out breeding season, he locked up and bred 5 females that year. I produced 0 cinnamons. I backed him up with a more seasoned Spider.

I also tried to use my yearling albino male he was 400g and producing sperm plugs and over 500g by the end of the season. He did not show any interest in breeding at all and was not observed locking up with his het albino female at all that year.

So I would say if your male is large enough and producing plugs go for it but make sure you have a more seasoned male to back him up.

[WingedWolfPsion]

500 grams is my personal starting point. My male that was borderline for weight didn't breed for me, he waited until the following year. Males well over 500 seem to do great. Males that have been very good eaters also tend to do better, in my experience.

[West Coast Jungle]

I think the answer to the question is yes he could get up to size but if he will breed is another story. I bred a male at 450 grams this past season but that doesnt mean they all do.

[ifun.jc]

Thanks for the comment and insights guys. I am just wondering if i should take up the offer because i am only getting one male and if he decides not to breed for me, thats gonna be badddddd.