Dan
When I started out breeding Corn snakes I used 200 grams as the minimum weight for breeding females. Small females like this will produce between 4 - 12 eggs based on my experience.
As I started to meet and talk with other breeders I found out that 4 - 12 eggs per clutch is very low. Other breedes regularly get well over 20 eggs in a clutch. 33, 36, 39 eggs in a clutch were sometimes achieved. They were also able to get a second clutch from many of their females. I was never able to do this.
After viewing other collections it became quite obvious to me that I was doing something wrong. I was shown breeding females 600g to 900g. At that time I did not have a single female in my collection anywhere near 500g. Once a female begins breeding her growth rate slows dramatically (obviously). Waiting one more year before breeding will make all the difference in the world.
Now, I will not cycle any female for breeding that is less than 350g. Many of the females in my collection now are well over 800g. I have a single female that weighed in at 1135g this season. I intend to breed her for the first time this season.
This makes alot of sense to me now. A well fed Corn snake hatchling can weigh 200g in as little 7 months, and I do not think anyone would consider this to be ready for breeding.
I hope this is helpfull.
Troy Mouck
http://www.darwinsoasis.ca
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