Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Given the choice between having a colony consisting of 1.3 easterns or 2 pairs which would you rather have?
I'll be facing this dilemma next season and thought i'd see which way you guys thought I should go.

Thanks!

Eric
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If Jesus is your co-pilot, you'd better change seats!

If it was me, I'd strive for genetic diversity, hoping to have two unrelated pairs...also, the jury is out on this, but a lot of people have found that multiple males results in greater fertility. If you breed them, you'll have plenty of extra females soon enough! Good luck, sounds like an enviable dilemma. Vic

I would go with 2 pairs also.

Something that would sway my decision is sibling matches and blood lines. I would use both males to copulate with both females.

2-Cents…

i would definitely go for two pairs (in fact, that's what i'm trying to do). and as dann said, i would introduce both males to each female.

now you have $0.06

matt

I would go with 2 pair. I believe that each of the two females is more likely to produce fertile eggs with multiple matings from one or two males. If the one male in a 1.3 group is/becomes a dud, you're stuck. Good luck.

Mullet Fingers is now over two years old and over 6 ft. long. He's in one of those deep sheds that seem to take forever to be completed. After that, the start of mating season is just a a few weeks away.

Wow! Mullet fingers is a handsome beast... How did he get such a name? Does/did he eat mullets? I have a pair of recently aquired red throats, and I am told they are related to yours! Nice to see a photo of the relatives...I'd love to see a recent one now that he is 6'. Did he retain the red? Vic

Mullet Fingers is a character in Carl Hiaasen's kid's book HOOT. He is able to catch mullet bare-handed. One focus of story is burrowing owls vs corporate deception. Most of Hiaasen's books are for adults and relate to what ecology of South Florida has become and what it could have been. There's much twisted humor. My younger male Eastern is named "Skink". Read about him in DOUBLE WHAMMY, my favorite.

Mullet Fingers has kept most of his red. I'll get photo posted after he sheds.

That's great, I like Hiassen also.

Looks like 2 pairs.

Eric
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If Jesus is your co-pilot, you'd better change seats!

I would go for 2:2 for genetic diversity.
But
I would NOT allow both males to breed a single female in a single season. That way, if I buy your offspring and want to breed them, I know EXACTLY who is who's father and mother and can be a responsible breeder. The clarity of the line is just too important for future dry keepers and breeders. IMHO.
Matt