How often to mate males and maintain viability

This is very helpful link, but i disagree with seasons. I live in a different country to the natural habitat.
They are ready when they are ready, or not regardless of season in my inexperienced opinion.
https://ballpython.ca/breeding/
But it doesnt tell me one thing, I did a surch but still no clarity.
(other than temperature not too hot ) How often can I breed a male to keep his sperm viability?
6-64286_tag-question-cartoon-smiley-Blue

Especially if he needs to service 2 females. (the male in question feeds throughout breeding)
Service females :grin: sorry.

Any opinions based on experience or even any studies?

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That is a good question about reproducing sperm. I have not found anything on it. I am going to guess that no one really knows.
As far as breeding times, most would say let him rest for 3 day or more between attempts. If that is what you follow, then switching females each time would be the way to do it. I skip a week and only attempt again if he eats between times. So if I feed every other Friday, then the following Friday I match up for 3 days, then rest, feed and repeat.

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Yes I agree with @d_y_python and if you got a male that feeds consistently during breeding season 2 females is not pushing him. I don’t like to use a male for more then 3 females a season but have done 4 on occasion with great success. I just keep him in there for 3-5 days or I pull him as soon as he “unlocks” with the female, feed him then wait a couple days and move him to the next.

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Very helpful information @d_y_python and @banereptiles .
I’ve got a couple of different males that I’ve bought a few different girls for each of them. One being my clown project. I’ve wondered about a schedule as to not over stress them.

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@buckeyeballs This schedule or something similar would work great for you. The only thing is you may not know if your males are all great eaters like @ascended male. In which case you can definitely still breed them even if they go off food, as long as they are great shape before you start introducing. Then you need to pay attention to their condition throughout, and it would be best if you didn’t breed them to a lot of females, just 1-2 so he doesn’t overdo it. The first year of breeding a new male is a learning experience, and although they may change behavior in the future, most of mine do not. They are either voracious eaters during the season or don’t eat, or rarely eat for a few months.

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My Lesser het clown is an adult. He’s around 800 grams and even with adult females close by , he still eats every feeding unless in shed. Unlike the normal male I’ve got. He stops feeding this time of year.
The other male I plan on breeding Opie , the OD fire yellowbelly, so I’ll see how he acts when it’s his turn to bat.
I’ve put any breeding plans on hold for this season. Market reasons and not being ready myself with the incubator and space for hatchlings. I’m excited but not in a hurry. It will all come around…:+1:
Thanks for the advice @banereptiles .

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I agree this is so important. Last year was my first year breeding ball pythons and it taught me so much about how different the males I have are.
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Thanks to everyone thats posted, I now have a good idea about how often to introduce males

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I have successfully spread a male across six females without any issues

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Thanks, but would be relay interested in how often you mated him. From the above, Im thinking weekly max ?

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My pairing schedule is to put the males in on Tuesday morning and leave them in until Friday morning. They go back to their own cage/tub on Friday and have the weekend to chill. If it is a feed week, they get fed on Sunday. And then on to the next girl on Tuesday

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Thanks for the reassurance I was gauging weekly is ok from the reply’s but with caveats.

I’m trying a mahogany on 6 females this year. He was very young last year and didn’t get any gravid. Seeing locks this year and still eating so hopefully he does way better his 2nd winter. But with rest/feeding day’s it takes him about a month to make the rounds. If I don’t see a lock the next day right back to his own cage to rest up.

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This is a good observation Randy.

Younger/less experienced males are more likely to have issues being spread across multiple females so I would try to keep them a little more limited in their scope

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He made size first winter but didn’t seem interested. Did go off feed a bit but a hide seems to have helped and eating on through this winter. I have gotten eggs from first winter males but for me the exception even when they do lock.

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