Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am getting a normal female to breed. For the same amount of money, I can get 2 1500g females or one over 3000. If you had the choice, which would you choose. it seems the larger one would have a lot of eggs, where the smaller ones might not produce, or have very small clutches. Course, with one large, I am getting all my eggs from one basket....thoughts?

Go with the two. Afterall once you have them you have them for good. They should breed for you but if they dont produce this year or have small clutches, they will definatly be ready next year and you will have twice the pay off...
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- Mike Fourquet

Cloaca Herpetoculture
www.CloacaHerps.com

You have to ask, if the larger one is an egg-producing machine, why are they getting rid of her? I also have a female who's right under 2800g, but I won't breed her this year. She dropped a huge clutch and hasn't recovered her fat reserves yet. She's a massive snake, but probably won't be ready again...

All that to say, just b/c the 3000g snake is huge, it doesn't necessarily mean she's going to produce huge. All that to say:
1 - find out more information.
2 - I'd personally go with the smaller 2, especially since they're both over 1500g. You should be able to put on more weight before they go off feed this year. Good luck!

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Jeremy Conrad
bpConnection
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...Can't...stop...must...get...more...balls...

thats me though.
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Dave

www.DNReptiles.com
Myspace/DNReptiles
Myspace/blog

I would get two small if they are young and aggressive feeders.
That way you can end up with two big girls for your money. I would be wary of putting all your eggs in one basket.
Just make sure the two small are not that way because they are not good feeders or are runty females.
If the big girl does not produce well you are stuck with her.
This way you can have two producers in the future.
The only exception might be if you are trying to prove out a really cutting edge million dollar gene and want to be the first to do it. Even then I would be leary of using just one female unless you really trust the person selling her to you and she is proven and has an excellent production record and is ready to go as far as fat preserves go.
Also be wary that adult WC often do not produce for years so I would go with CB females.

The small are '04s. The larger girl is a proven '01. The 04's haven't been bred yet. I also have a female that is about 1100 grams and 3 that are around 850, so next year is covered for females. The larger one/ones are for this breeding season.

John

Ask them how many eggs she produced. If she is proven they should know. I would still go with the 2 smaller ones unless they say the big girl throws 10 good eggs a year or something like that. I might just be paranoid but I would be scared to buy a female that large unless I really trusted the breeder. For all you know she could throw mostly slugs every year. I know I personally would never sell a 3000g female that was a really good producer.
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John Vandegrift

I have 4 big old girld this year that didn't lay........well.one did but only 6 good eggs from 11.......

I also have 4 snaller 2 year olds that I bred and 3 laid giving me 9 eggs each........

8 year olds (and older) x 4 = 6
2 year olds x 4 = 27

you do the math

the big girls are on a diet........2 eating more and 2 eating less than last year......(no more medium guinea pigs....LOL)

........(yes I have alot more females that did lay and some that weren't bred......and some laid duds......)

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................................................it's a buyer's market......
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Age and where the snakes come from. If you are looking at 2 1500g 4 yrs old females that are CB or CH vs one female that is 3000g but a WC adult that has never bred yet I would take the two smaller ones as they are more likely to produce.
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Nita Hamilton
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Ball Pythons
ballpythonworld.com