As for that female, I would have given her longer too. I got a big girl from Petco last year, and I was told that she looked old and probably wouldn't breed. She takes longer than any of my other rats to get pregnant, but the two litters she's had for me, the first litter was 15, the second litter was 19. She has more than made up for the weight in her numbers. I'm giving her one more try this go around, and if she has a smaller litter or just doesn't seem to get pregnant, she'll be kept back as a companion for resting females.


I also have two other females that are close to retiring. I'm considering trying to find a good pet home for two females together, as I am very attached to my breeders. I understand there's a practical side to breeding for food production and some people can't keep all their retired breeders, real estate is just to precious (I'm becoming real estate challenged myself), so I can understand the need if one isn't particularly attached to their breeders to feed them off to a larger snake (or monitor).

For myself, I'm not to the point that I can separate the emotional side of me from them, so that is not an option for me. Either they'll live out their natural life here as nanny or favorite uncle to the weaners, or I'll find really good pet homes for them.