So my scale broke just today as I was weighing some females and I was going to weigh a Male that was near breeding size but I wasnt exactly sure. Can you guys show me some pics of males that are between 400 and 500 grams? Objects next to them for size comparison would be extremely appreciated.
Here is a picture of my boi Akira on a foot long ruler, he is around 410 grams empty. Right here he has a small lump in his belly still from a past meal.
Thank you very much! My male is around that size so I just wanted to be sure he’d be okay to start putting him with the ladies
I thought males had to be at 700 grams or more? >.<
They do not.
Some breeders choose play it more conservatively than others with the target size for their males, but that is an opinion on what is best based their experience. I will probably play it safer personally but others have much more experience at getting through breeding seasons safely with their males.
While some males will breed early in the 400 grams one must be very careful as breeding take it’s toll on a small male very rapidly and people have been know to breed smaller males to death.
Over the last 10 years while I have tried smaller males, I do not even waste my time with them any more, my best results are typically with males starting at 600 grams.
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Deb do you wait for your females to hit at 1400 mark as well?
I started breeding my banana yellowbelly male at 500 grams, and since he continued eating I decided to keep pairing him. He’s at 600 grams now, and still eating strong.
I think the main concern would be making sure the male doesn’t get too thin, more so if he goes off food. With larger males, this isn’t as much of an issue since they have better fat stores (not to say they can’t be bred to death, they certainly can) but for smaller males it could turn out to be a big issue.
For female it is a combination of weight, age and body proportion, I will explain that by giving a few examples
I have bred 4 years old 1200 grams females. Obviously the maturity was there even though the weight was on the low end.
I have bred 18 months 1500 grams females.
I have pull out of breeding rotation 4 years old 2000 grams females. Those females checked all the boxes when it came to numbers but they look lean not plum (basically long slender females)
Ideally the bigger the better for me I don’t like to waste breeding on smaller females that will often give smaller clutches, but most importantly I am really in tune with my animals and observe them a lot, if a female will start showing be breeding behaviour I will take everything I just mentioned and decide whether or not I want to breed her knowing she is developing follicles.
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Not necessarily it’s more or less a rule of thumb. They can breed as low as 400 to 500 but you can only get away with breeding them to a female or two because they can’t handle more at that size.
So although I could get away with possibly breeding him you think it’d be best to just wait? Also here’s a another question, I have a 1200 gram female and if I breed her would that jump start her weight so she would end up weighing more by the time she lays?
You can give the male a shot so long he keeps feeding throughout and you don’t over do it.
The female it’s a matter or age and body condition if she is young under 3 winter at that size I would not bother (again I personally if she is young I would rather give her another year so she is in optimal condition weight and age wise)
I a one of those old school people I grow my animals slow and steady and take my time when it comes to breeding because for me it’s not a race.
Ultimately we all do things differently and you should do what YOU feel comfortable with, all I can offer is advice based on my experience. 
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About 2 years or so I got her from someone locally but they don’t have a exact age but he said she is around 2
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Yeah I want to give it a shot because he is a extremely good eater and i would only be breeding him to one girl so think he’d keep up on food.
Then going off what Deb is saying (and I agree) she should probably get another year? Good luck with them!
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Hmm yeah I think itd be probably be better as well but I’m just excited cause she is my only combo het clown female