Blood Breeding?

[ssscales]

How old should Bloods be to attempt breeding?
My male is about 3FT, females are over 3-1/2FT and quite thick. I'll probably will wait another year as I think they are still too small to attempt a healthy breeding.

I'm feeding them 1 F/T MD rats once a week with no problem, was also wondering when to switch them to LG rats. I know it depends on the thickness, but not sure if a LG rat is too big for them.

[Invictus]

A large rat is definitely NOT to big for them, but they are definitely too young to breed. In fact, a jumbo rat would be more appropriate. Bloods are not colubrids - they are heavy bodied boids, and need to be fed HUGE meals.

Bloods mature slowly, and if you want to ensure the safety of the female, I wouldn't even think about breeding her until she's 4, maybe 5 years old, or at least until she is very obviously done growing.

[KLG]

Originally posted by Invictus
A large rat is definitely NOT to big for them, but they are definitely too young to breed. In fact, a jumbo rat would be more appropriate. Bloods are not colubrids - they are heavy bodied boids, and need to be fed HUGE meals.

I respectfully disagree - bloods don't need to be fed huge meals. Even my biggest bloods only get a jumbo rat per feeding - usually every 10 days, and these are robust, thriving animals.

Bloods do not take much feeding to maintain healthy adult weight, and the vast majority of bloods in captivity are overfed and/or obese.

Just my $.02

K

[ssscales]

Thanks guys, my females are a bit over 3-1/2FT long and easily the thickness of a Jumbo rat and very healthy. I don't want obese snakes nor do I want to push growth on them either. They are about 3 years old now and I will wait 1 or 2 more years if needed to attempt breeding.

I think I will stick to one MD rat once a week until they reach substantial size for a lrg every 10-14 days.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

When they are growing they can take more meals and larger size but they dont need to keep the same rate/size when they are adults as their metabolism slows even more and they stop growing much. At every 10-14 days, and a "smaller than what they could take" rat, they probably wont be ready for at least a year. One of my females is currently 2" short of 3 feet and could take a large rat, but is currently taking several(three) smalls, because I'm having problems getting medium/large rats. She's about 1.5 years old too, and weighs a little over 2lbs. I would like to point out that she is in NO way fat/obese. I do agree that bloods dont need HUGE meals, Kara, but they can take them and need them more during growth than in adulthood. Contradictorily, my 2.5 yr old, 4 foot, 8lb male is only eating large and jumbo rats, that make a very hard to see buldge in him, and since I got him a few months ago, has already gained 1.5lbs. and grew half a foot.

ssscales: I would wait another 1 year(at least) before trying to breed your bloods, just to be safe, any female I have will always be 15lbs before breeding is attempted. All im saying is be careful.

Hope This Helps!

C.

[ssscales]

Thanks everyone, I will wait another year and see how they look and feel at that time. I don't want to put them in any danger and I'm in no hurry. I also have a 2-1/2 year old female pastel BCI that will wait another year as well. I have full grown Dum's, JCP's and BCI breeders that will keep me busy next year.

I might consider switching the bloods to large rats in January 05, one every 10-14 days.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Sounds good to wait. However, at that feeding rate, I doubt they will be ready by November 05. Congrats for making the right decision and asking before though! Better for the snake and for you!

C.

[Linds]

Originally posted by CHRISANDBOIDS14
Sounds good to wait. However, at that feeding rate, I doubt they will be ready by November 05.

Not necessarily. I wouldn't recommend feeding anything over a year old more than that. Bloods especially are overfed in captivity. You would be surprised how well these snakes use their food, they do not need very much to grow up. I have a 3 year old male Borneo that is 5' being fed one- two times monthly for the majority of his life. Age is a better determining factor for breeding anything I find - as long as they are in good, mature-looking condition at 4 then he shouldn't have any problems.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

I must dissagree. You could have a 5 year old snake that does not even weigh 10lbs. It is unsafe to breed a snake that is too light. Some snakes will convert food to growth more than others. Also, Linds, What would be the guidelines to describe a "mature looking condition"? It can all vary and I think age is not the way to go because snakes can and will grow at different rates.

C.

[Linds]

A mature looking snake is one that looks like an adult, not a growing subadult. They have a fully developed, well-toned look to them. Now some people will feed the crap out of their snakes and breed them at one or two years of age - these snakes may meet the 'standard' length and weight whoever it was set, but they are still at high risk for developing (potentially life-threatening) problems because they are not mature enough to breed. Their reproductive organs have not developed enough, their bones have not calcified adequately, and their overall well-being has been compromised. As for a five year old snake weighing ten pounds, well that is a judgement call. Some snakes can be naturally small, and breed just fine so long as that is their mature size. Now if they are only ten pounds at 5 years because they are malnourished and haven't been adequately cared for, then by no means is that animal safe to breed.

[ssscales]

Here is a pic of one of my female bloods, this was taken about 3 months ago. She is almost 3 years old now and has been fed a MD rat once a week for about a year. I've had her for about 2 years and fed her a SM rat once a week for the first year.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Wow, nice color on her! Nothin for size reference though, would you say she is about the size of a pop-can around?

Linds, I do agree, but it is entirely possible, though probably unlikely, to have a snake looking as you say, but not having enough body weight to breed(as far as females, since it doesnt really affect males). I dont dissagree with you but I think the snake should be a healthy size(though that size could be widely argued) before breeding.

C.

[ssscales]

She is about the thickness of a soda pop can and about 3'9" long. My other female is about the same length and girth except she is more red. Male is about 3-1/2 and a bit thinner.