decisions, decisions.......

[dprballs]

Right i was gonna start breeding next year, but have now acquired 2 female normals which are ready to breed this season
The thread below explains my situation a bit better:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?181366-noob-question-(as-if-u-dont-get-enough-already!)&p=1919606&posted=1#post1919606

So now im looking at getting a male. As the other thread says i have found a suitable male i could purchase. Now trouble is ive been looking around (im the UK btw) and ive found a few more interesting males i could possibly stretch to. 1 is a black pastel pewter (black pastel x pastel) which would blow my whole budget for a male. However ive found a few other single gene breeding weight morphs (a cinnamon, yellowbelly, and fire) and these are a 1/3 of the price of the black pastel pewter.

Bearing in my mind my aim this year is just to hatch a successful clutch, as i need experience of handling eggs and such like before i invest in multi gene animals next year what you guys recommend? Now obviously if i go for the single gene chances are im gonna get 50% normals, and only 25% with the black pastel pewter. (is 25% pastel, 25% Black pastel, 25% blk pastel pewter and 25% normal correct for a pairing with a normal female btw?)

However cinnamon, yellowbelly, and fire are all morphs that interest me for future plans, more so than pastel/black pastel.

The black pastel pewter is stunning snake though. My hearts telling me black pastel pewter, my heads telling me cinnamon and yellowbelly.
Would pairing both males with both females be OK? im thinking it would maximise my chances off success.

As i said i wasnt planning breeding this year so please forgive my lack of knowledge on the technical aspects as its turning into a mad rush now to get some males and get em Quarantined before pairing. Rest assured i will be reading my ECO book when it comes (supposed to arrive today but it hasnt ) and im pretty clued up on BP husbandry and i do keep a GTP and dwarf boa so im not a total noob. Thanks guys

Dai

[danrjc]

As for which male to get, go for whichever one you really want, or the direction you want to go. If you're breeding if should be done cause its what you want to do. Yes you can pair both males to each female. This is my first year breeding two and I paired my 3 normal girls with both my fire and mojave. Had to put both boys in with a girl to get the mojave interested.

[dprballs]

Thanks for the reply. I think the black pastel petwer is what i want as there would be more excitement if i get eggs (2 different genes so more variety in clutch). and its a stunning looking snake

Also the black pastel pewter clutch would be potentially more valuable and therefore more saleable.

However yellowbelly and cinnamon are genes i have more interest in for future breeding, and the two snakes would cost less than 2/3 of the value of the BP pewter and im guessing using two males would increase my chances of success

I think i have basically answered my own question now and will go with the cinamon and YB.

What i should have asked was how would using two males instead of one affect my odds of success, which is pretty stupid as im guessing its basically double lol

Oh well at least i have a clearer idea now

One point this raises though - If i did pair 2 males with 1 female and say for EG she lays 6 eggs does this mean all the eggs have come from one of the males, or could there be 3 from 1 male and 3 from another??

thanks guys

[oskyle1567]

I would say go cheap for your first season and next year maybe use the funds for a more expensive male.

[Kaorte]

One point this raises though - If i did pair 2 males with 1 female and say for EG she lays 6 eggs does this mean all the eggs have come from one of the males, or could there be 3 from 1 male and 3 from another??

thanks guys

Its called a multiple sired clutch. So yes! you could potentially hatch both cinnies and YBs from the same clutch if both of the sires fertilized the eggs. That is what I am shooting for this year. My normal has been paired with my pinstripe and mojave. Can't wait to see what is in those eggs!!

[dprballs]

I would say go cheap for your first season and next year maybe use the funds for a more expensive male.

Yeah my original plan just 1 single gene male, i thought the adults would be more expensive though, so i can afford two. the BP pewter would be stretching my finances to far though and id feel under pressure to succeed, which i dont need in my first season!!

Its called a multiple sired clutch. So yes! you could potentially hatch both cinnies and YBs from the same clutch if both of the sires fertilized the eggs. That is what I am shooting for this year. My normal has been paired with my pinstripe and mojave. Can't wait to see what is in those eggs!!

Ooo interesting. One of the eggs couldnt contain genes from both males though, could it? For eg producing a Cinnamon Yellow Belly (or woteva the name for that combo is, if it exists!!)

[Simplex]

Yeah my original plan just 1 single gene male, i thought the adults would be more expensive though, so i can afford two. the BP pewter would be stretching my finances to far though and id feel under pressure to succeed, which i dont need in my first season!!




Ooo interesting. One of the eggs couldnt contain genes from both males though, could it? For eg producing a Cinnamon Yellow Belly (or woteva the name for that combo is, if it exists!!)

No the make genetics cannot mix in the egg.

[dprballs]

Thanks for the reply. Thought that was a bit too good to be true !!