Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How big and how old do gophers need to be to start breeding? Have a pair that is pushing 4 ft. and 2 years old, do you think they are ready?

That's the exact situation I am in with my pair of 07 bulls. They're around four ft. and have good weight. I definitely would like to breed them this coming season, but every professional breeder that I have talked to has said to wait until 3 years min. regardless of size for all Pits.

It definitely can be done, but I personally am going to wait one more year to ensure the health of my animals and their offspring.
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Take care,

Alex Pepper

CBB '07 1.1 Aspidites ramsayi--Woma Pythons (Don Hamper/Rare Earth Stock)
CBB '08 1.1 Bothrochilus boa--Bismarck Ringed Pythons (Tom Keogan Line High Contrast)
CBB '07 1.0 Heterodon simus--High Red Southern Hognose Snake (Tom Pinson Line Red)
CBB '07 1.1 Pituophis catenifer sayi--Marathon, Texas Out-crossed Stillwater Hypomelanistic Bull Snakes
CBB '08 1.1 Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi--Black Pine Snakes (John Ginter Stock)
CBB '06 & '08 1.1 Eublepharis macularius--Blazing Blizzard & Reverse Stripe Tangerine Albino Leopard Geckos "Blaze" & "Angie"
CBB '02 0.1 Hemitheconyx caudicinctus--Stiped African Fat-tailed Gecko "Smeagol"
CBB '03 0.1 Canis domesticus--Cocker Spaniel "Cupcake"
CBB '99 0.1 Canis domesticus--Yellow Labrador Retriever "Freckles"

Happy Herping!

I don't know if age matters so much as size. I'm with Tim S. in that gophers don't typically get as large as bulls. I don't think there is any problem with breeding the male, it is the female that you have to worry about. Some bulls lay gigantic eggs and that could pose serious problems for a younger/smaller bull. In my opinion its better to be safe than sorry. Good luck and take care.

Jeremy
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Jeremy Pierce
Shade Tree Exotics
shade-tree-exotics@att.net

I have two hypo bulls that were only two years old so I was keeping them together to save space. I never thought they would breed even though they were about 4'. I came in one day and found them copulating. I took the male out to prevent more breeding. Wouldn't you know it, she laid 7 good eggs and 6 hatched. I certainly don't recommend breeding at two years, but these two did just fine and have continued to breed each year after that.

Most gopher snakes don't get to be as large as Bull Snakes. If your snakes will be 3 years old in 2009, then I would breed them in the springtime.

Tim

Third Eye