Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Say it was possible to get a female up to 1500g or so in a year. Would she be able to breed or does age also play a factor. I know it is not safe or even possible to put on that much size in a year. I just am interested in if it is all about weight or if age is just as important.
Kevin

Well, for some it is possible to put that much weight on. I have an '02 het pied female that was 1400 grams at 14 months. I didn't powerfeed either. Just the appropriate size meals at the appropriate time. I also had a pastel male at near 800 grams at 6 months old. As far as the age vs. size question about breeding.......I have no idea. I'm sure if you looked in the archives, you could find the answer 10 fold.

Brandon Osborne

Thanks Brandon. I have some juvies that are around 250g. and I have been feeding them good sized fuzzy rat pups every three - four days. Then give them a break until they deficate. Usually three feedings in a row like this. Is this overboard or good? I know every 7 days is what some recomend but these girls seem like I could feed them daily. They are always looking for more.
Kevin

I wouldn't feed them everyday. But feed them every other day or every 2 days. Only the ones that want that much food. I have one of my females that eats every other day, sometimes 2 meals in a row and just cant seem to be full. She was shipped from a breeder a month ago and was about 60 grams when she arrived. She now is 200 on an empty stomach, thats about 140 grams in a month. But my other female babies that came in with that same one eat every 4-7 days. They are slowly becoming more comfortable with eating on a regular basis and soon will be feed more often. If your bp's want more food, then give it to them, especially if its for breeding. The first year is when they are growing and will want as much food as you can offer. Feed them as much as they are comfortable with, but don't offer to much where they start stressing (that will just set you back). Hope this helps.
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1.0 Pastel ball python
0.5 ball pythons
1.0 CA King
0.1 My girlfriend

I know people that have put 1500 grams in a year and complain; why aren't the balls breeding?
take a look at humans --you can make a kid that is totally fat but he still isn't going to breed at 6 yrs old
with power feeding you can bring the age of ball breeding down by a year but not two years----normal ball breeding takes three years approx.---with power feeding you can take it down a year
(this is for females).
for males-----there are some morphs out there were genetically they are stronger and grow very rapidly so you can probrably breed them after there first year but most of them still take 18 months-----
breeders will say well I bred them younger---ask yourself a question--how many snakes do they have that went at that age vrs the BP's that didn't--you will get exceptions but you can't completely skip over mother nature..
take your time and produce healthy, big sized clutches. if it looks like you are rushing it you probrably are.