To breed or not to breed?

[marisa]

Hi!

Well I have been without scale for MANY months. I picked up a nice digital on Sunday and weighed my girl Eight to see if she is big enough for breeding.

She was born in early 2002/late 2001. She has gone on many hunger strikes, so she is not as large as she could be but weighed in at a little over 1200 grams on an empty stomach.

I read over a lot of information. Lots saying 1500 minimum. But also a lot saying many people have bred and do breed females at 1000 or over and have success.

What are your PERSONAL guidelines/experiecens and would you try her? She is actively eating large rats now (just moved up as she eats live and I have been holding back size wise this summer a little bit)

Marisa

[morph]

Keep feeding her if she's eating large rats she'll be ready very quickly. The funny thing is it's not always size but maturity (with the females esp.) You can have 2000-2500 gram females they just won't go for some reason until year 3 or 4 But I also have received 5 eggs with no problems from a 1200 give or take a few gram female.

Scott

[BoidKeeper]

My personal guide lines would be 1500g for a first time 4'. However if she was 4' and only 1200g and I had a pastel on hand well....
Cheers,
Trevor

[Corey Woods]

If she keeps eating she'll be big enough to breed. I breed all females that are over 1000 grams. I don't expect the smaller ones to prdouce (infact I'd be worried if they did). However, it does get them ready for next year. The smallest female I had produce for me was 1430 grams but she was approximately 7 years old (WC as a sub adult and really sucked at feeding). If she's not old enough or big enough she simply will not produce.

Good luck,
Corey

[marisa]

I see. Thanks for the response. I don't have a length on her, but she ain't small!

She is continuing to eat, so I think I may. Or like Corey suggested, try and she will go if she wants I guess. I would prefer to avoid any complications though from her size. Although I haven't really ever heard of any happening???

Marisa

[Stockwell]

Complications are very rare. Like Corey says, they either go or they don't. There are very few accounts of reproductive complications being the sole result of early or underweight breedings.
In the wild males will likely breed all females they encounter that are receptive. The same applies in captivety. The females internal biology should dictate whether ova are produced or not.
When I was breeding Balls weighing snakes was almost unheard of since accurate digital scales didn't exist until recently(the last decade)..
I couldn't even tell you what weight my animals were.