1st Season Questions/Problems

[hotelvoodoo]

So, we're finally to that point where we've got a girl big enough and old enough to go for us. We recently adopted a normal female who is six years old and weighs in at 1870 grams (she's a sporadic feeder). The people that owned her before had only ever had her as a pet and had never tried to breed her. We have four males up to breeding size and are really excited about their first season.

We introduced our lesser a little early, before Halloween, without the temp drops or anything, just to see how things went. Predictably we didn't witness any locks, so we figured it was a little soon, and waited until after Hurricane Sandy to start dropping temps appropriately. Our snake room is typically kept around 79-80 degrees ambiently, and the hotspots around 85-89. We've started shutting off the space heater at night to drop the temps into the mid seventies. About two and half weeks ago, we resumed introductions. The lesser (800g) has been with her once alone and once with our pastel (720g), the pastel has also been in on his own, and our pinstripe (1050g) has also been in with her. But so far, the pairs don't seem to want anything to do with one another. All of the boys are producing plugs, they just don't seem to be showing any interest. The pairs have been together for two days at a time.

The temp drops haven't had a lot of effect of the collection's feeding habits, only the lesser seems to be off food for the season so far.

What can we do to help spur things along?

[Kaorte]

Try throwing the shed from another male in to the enclosure with the breeding pair. Or rub the shed on the females back. That will sometimes get them going.

You can also just wait! I left one of my boys, who was previously uninterested in breeding, away from the female for about a month and as soon as we put him back in he went for her They were locked in minutes.

[Don]

Another trick is to take a sperm plug from another male and rub it onto the female's back. More than likely, you just need to be patient. Give them some time and they will figure it out.

[PitOnTheProwl]

You wont always "see" the lock.
My first season I think I might have seen one or two locks and I didnt and wont ever drop the temp.
Its not needed, this year I am going to try and breed year round IF I'm lucky

[hotelvoodoo]

Of course, right after we post this she locks with two males in a week!

[don15681]

Of course, right after we post this she locks with two males in a week!

keep pairing and don't forget to give her time alone.