How old did your male start breeding?

[JasonG]

why does everyone prance around saying males should be a year old, and females 2?

seems there are different trains of thought on this topic..

[Bruce Whitehead]

Not sure anyone prances... interesting choice of words... but males can breed themselves to death, stop eating, get RIs, etc. So a large part of it is knowing your snakes, and knowing what you are comfortable with.

Also, there is the element of whether or not they are at a point where they can breed (producing sperm plugs, etc.).

Experience... experience... experience...

Bruce

[gncz73]

well my male lesser was hatched out middle of september 07 and was producing sperm plugs in january late january. and had a weight of 450 grams or so. i could have got some breeding done last year but i like to give them a little more time.

[Larry Suttles]

When I cooled them down and cycled them I didn't have much success at all.

On the other hand I've had really good results breeding the young studs by not cycling them. My butter bred at 5.5 months and my LA is breeding at 6 months.

Kind of a double edge sword. I'm forming the opinion that cooling females is a big factor in maximizing follicular development but it seems to bog down the young thoroughbreds.

I don't care what some people say. It is easy to get eggs but breeding ball pythons and getting eggs consistently does require some significant amount knowledge and skill.

[JasonG]

Not sure anyone prances... interesting choice of words...

Bruce

Hmmm i must of been in mood last night.. dont know why i used it either.. LOLOLOL

[BT41042]

I don't care what some people say. It is easy to get eggs but breeding ball pythons and getting eggs consistently does require some significant amount knowledge and skill.

Know your talking -

[ama1997]

My 07 male was 6 months old and 505g. Thats smaller than I have bred my males in the past. But with all the talk of breeding small males. I thought Id try he did go off food for awhile. Once he stopped eating I stopped pairing him up. I did get one clutch from him. Its in the incubator, and another on the way in about 15 days or so.