Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I realize it's a bit early in the season but I'm looking for suggestions to stimulate a stubborn female into breeding.

I have been cycling temps for ~2 months and have a male that I have witnessed courting her as well as him locking with 2 other females.

Day temps are 75 cold side, 93 hot side
night temps are 70 cold, 82 hot.

I've tried misting them and rotating the male in with the female and visa versa. Different enclosures, etc. I use newspaper as a substrate and have a hide box and a water bowl in with them. I only offer food once every 2-4 weeks....

Are their any other suggestions of how to get the two to lock? (I also realize it is possible they are locking but I never witness it)

Any other little breeder "tricks"?

Just looking for a little more insight.....I'd love to get some lemon pastel bumble bees out of this pairing this year.

Thanks in advance!

Try warmer days 80 cool side and 92 warm side and cooler nights, 68 cool side, 78 warm side.

Forgot to mention that food is a major factor in egg production. I offer food weekly to all of my breeders. If females do not eat enough they will not begin follicular maturation. Try feeding your females weekly

I don't believe there are alot of breeders that offer meals weekly during breeding season. With the lack of alot of belly heat at night they don't get the heat they need to digest like they can in the summer months. I believe some breeders even go off feed completely during breeding season.

I use small meals and usually offer every other week (small rat for 1500g females)

I can try making the temp change a bit more drastic but we'll see.....we've also had a very mild winter so far...so when it starts getting cold I imagine that things will change.

oh...and she is ~1800g, and a 2004 female.

Any other ideas or suggestions I'd take them?

I feed smaller than normal meals aswell. I am only suggesting to you what has worked for me.

Sometimes a pair is just not compatible. How long are you leavin them together? I spray my pairs in the morning and the evening aswell.

Try introducing multiple males together with the female and you might see some action Ofcourse, keep your eye out to see who gets the job done!

Stopping feeding during breeding season is old school thinking. It is quite obvious that females need a food source during follicular maturation and they will not ALWAYS eat when I offer food but I do give them the chance to eat.

....That they are just not compatable . TRY ANOTHER MALE . Your temps are fine . You are getting too many Ideas and you seem inpatient . If they haven't locked up by now(after 2 months cycling ) chances are.......they may not.I use the same temps you do and get success year after year.I have certain females that NO MATTER HOW I TRY TO MANIPULATE THEM, OR TRICK THEM.......THEY WON"T BREED CERTAIN MALES.IT's just life , What is the importance of THIS MALE in particular . HE is obviously breeding fine , it's her that is the picky one , move on to another female , You're bombarding yourself with solutions and opinions that you don't know which direction to go . Remember , it's nature and they will do what was intended, when THEY ARE READY....NOT YOU . Just my 2 cents
Rich-OSC

About the feeding, I agree......feeding helps them to not only develop folicles but to "bounce" back better after the season is over.

I unfortunately only have one breeder male for the combo I am going for....so I guess I could wait another year and use an 06 male from this last year or try another combo....decisions....

Thanks for the help!

I agree with Rich. It seems that female, for whaever reason, just isn't ready. Find another gal for him ta play with .

And Eric, I beg to differ with you about food being NECESSARY for follicular developement. I may be wrong so don't slam me, as I've only got one female to go by. My female goes without food for 7 months out of every year and eggs DO develope. In the fifteen years that I've had her she's layed eight clutches with from five to nine viable eggs per. The other years there were no eggs due to differing extenuating circumstances, but the clutches she layed were viable. Just my thoughts.

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

I am willing to bet your female is massive, right? She has the fat reserves needed to produce eggs. Younger, smaller females don't have the fat reserves and need a food source to fuel egg production. Either way works, but if they WILL eat, why not feed em?

...the girls fault.
Sometimes it's the boys you gotta blame! LOL

Sorry guys I couldn't resist!!!!

Happy Breeding Season!

Desiree' Kane

LOLOL, he did say the boy was willing

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

ball females aren't like teens hanging out behind 7-11 at 2am, they won't breed just cause they can... : )

males might, but that is different...

the female must be at a specific point in the breeding cycle before she is receptive to a male. follicle size needs to be in the 10-15mm range. that is the window of reception.

that is easiest to see with an ultrasound, but at that size they can also be palpated. these types of situations are why it is good to develop a relationship with a good vet. if you could bring the animal for a quick ultrasound you could establish a base of where she is right now. if she is at 4-6mm, or smaller, she isn't going to lock up period.

we have perhaps 200 ball females all on the same building cycle, and yet will see females reach the breeding window at wildly different times. some are breeding now, some will breed next month, some not until April. if you have an April flower, you are just spinning your wheels trying to get her to do ANYTHING right now.

best of luck.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Love that April flower bit.

Awesome answer...what I was looking for....

So keep cycling the male with her and quite possibly she'll eventually start?

I hope she pans out for me....this is one of the pairings I was REALLY hoping for

(that and my lemon pastel to axanthic which last year produced an axanthic....I'm hoping to prove that the lemon pastel is het for axanthic AND if I'm super lucky produce a lemon pastel axanthic!...which would also mean that the bumble bees from the pairing I'm having trouble with would be 50% PH SK axanthic!)

Thanks for all the posts!

the point is NOT to keep them together unnecessarily. that will end up doing more harm then good. learn to recognize when she is cycling, and pair up for a few weeks at that point, don't just pair up for 6 months and hope for the best, that is awfully "poke and hope".
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles