Science behind early breeding,
My theory is that a female can be bred at two years of age. The result in my opinion is that the energy stores that normally would have gone toward growth would be used to make the eggs. The following year again if bred thus a female that has again used up energy that could have gone toward growth. In MY opinion at some point the female becomes stunted in overall length and subsequently smaller clutches due to her smaller size. My other concern would be egg binding. Since the early growth is the most rapid in my opinion this will never be made up at a later time. The weaker offspring in my opinion from young females is a result of two factors, the fact that the young female is at a period in her life where she should be experiencing rapid growth but has to share her energy stores and vitamin stores in the egg making process. Her eggs are compromised as well as her growth. Captive specimens that have been well cared for and well fed should have reached a good size as well as being mature sexually. I would venture to guess that some wild specimens may not mature for six years maybe more.
