Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my first question is.....what is the smallest size tub i can use for breeding...would it be a 24x18.....and that the female would be comfortable laying her eggs in....or does it have to be 34x18? and my other question is that i have a female that is 1200 grams but recently stop eating could one of the reason be that she is ready for the breeding season and a sign she could breed...im not going to breed her till next yr..because is is still too small....but i was just wondering if this is one of the signs? because my others r around that size but they are eating very well still....

A 24x18 box may be big enough to house smaller males and also females that are in the 1200 gram size range, but for larger females, I'd go with a 34x18. Although most balls aren't very active, they still need some space to stretch out. Also, you need enough space to create a thermal gradient. I use the Freedom Breeder large racks, with each box measuring about 34x18 for all of my subadult and adult balls. As for your 1200 gram female, its not uncommon for them to go off feed at this time of year. I have about 100 females that are between 700-1500 grams right now and probably 25-30% of them have stopped feeding. I continue to offer food to them throughout the fall and winter, but I know that some of them just won't eat. The ones that continue to feed will of course grow more during this time. You could possibly try to breed your 1200 gram female, but don't be disappointed if she doesn't produce. I try to make sure my girls are 1500 grams or more before breeding. Good luck!

Garrick
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