Should I be breeding her?

[DPBallPythons]

So here's the story:

A couple of years ago I bought a female spider, -08 and about 1200grams. When I got her she ate pretty good, skipped just a couple of meals. She started to gain a good girth and size overall. Then all of a sudden she stopped eating, which is pretty common among ball pythons. Nothing to worry about, I thought. From December to August she ate NOTHING. 8 months, not one single rat. This was last year (Dec 2011 - Aug 2012). She was 1700 grams in August 2012 when she started eating again.

She started eating on a regular basis 'til December. Then again, she stopped.

Now, August 2013 she started eating a rat I left in the tub. Just like last year. I expect her to stop in December again.

Now to the point of this thread:

She obviously have a thing going on, eating for 4 months (Aug - Dec), go off food for 8 months (Dec - Aug). She looks healthy, perhaps not fat and juicy, but not skinny neither. I was thinking of breeding her this season, starting in November, but I'm not sure that's a great idea since her eating habits are kinda weird. If this is the case, then I will never be able to breed her, because she will probably continue this "thing" over and over again.

So now I need some other opinions on this. If I breed her and she lays a clutch, most females will start eat like crazy to gain lost weight from laying the eggs. But will she make it? Today she weight 1900 grams, just started eating. Another weird thing is that she doesn't seem to lose any weight during those months off, and is currently only on her cool side. The temps are right, I've checked. It's like she is trying to tell me that she is okay with only 4 months straight feeding, then off for 8 months. I mean, she knows how to eat, that's not the problem. She just doesn't feel like she need it. Opinions, please !

[snakesRkewl]

Females tend to start eating ravenously after being paired with a male.
10 to 1 her eating habits change after she locks a few times.

[DPBallPythons]

Females tend to start eating ravenously after being paired with a male.
10 to 1 her eating habits change after she locks a few times.

I've heard that they stop eating completely.

[snakesRkewl]

I've heard that they stop eating completely.

I'd find more reliable information

They tend to stop eating around the time they go into glow after preov shed comes off.
Most of my females stop eating 2-3 weeks before ovulating.
Some stop earlier, but that's not the norm.

[DPBallPythons]

I'd find more reliable information

They tend to stop eating around the time they go into glow after preov shed comes off.
Most of my females stop eating 2-3 weeks before ovulating.
Some stop earlier, but that's not the norm.

Okay, then I will give it a shot. Thanks for the answers

[treeboa]

Females tend to start eating ravenously after being paired with a male.
10 to 1 her eating habits change after she locks a few times.

This has been my experience as well. I bet breeding her will change her eating habits.

[DPBallPythons]

This has been my experience as well. I bet breeding her will change her eating habits.

Then I'll definitely try doing that. Thank you, I appreciate it

[zach_24_90]

Yeah females eat right up until ovulation cause they are still building and need all the nutrients they can get. They get super hungry after pairing I've found.

[jms0620]

my opion is that she stops eating for breeding she is sexually mature as long as her condition id good i would pair her my females usually stop eating then i pair them they start eating again alot until ovy

[JMinILM]

She is obviously old enough and big enough. If she looks and acts healthy then breed her.