Another non-brumation question...

I didn't brumate my one female and male this year because I wanted to continue feeding them thru the winter. I waited until she had her shed around the time I took my other pairs out of brumation. I put the two animals together and they didn't do anything. Since then, I've introduced them several times and still nothing. My other pairs have bred twice. I'm wondering if the male is too young (coming on 2 years old) or if there's something with her. She is small for her age. She's nearly 4 years old, but only 340 grams and quite slender. She eats like a horse though-never refusing a meal. For those of you who breed without brumation, does it take longer for the females to "get in the mood"? I've never bred anything without cycling them or brumating them first. In contrast, the Okeetee females are over 600 grams and near 5 ft. She's just barely over 3. I'd really like to see if she's in fact het for hypo or lav, but unless one of them starts cooperation....well.....

I like you kept one female out of brumation and while the others have started to breed she has not been interested. The way I understand it she will ovulate sooner or later but I'll keep on trying once or twice a week if it takes all summer. Your female sounds plenty big enough. The 06 male that didn't brumate is breeding up a storm.
John

I don't brumate.

In 2006 my female RO became receptive 12 days after her second shed of the year, which was 21st April, mated 2nd May.
In 2007 she had her second shed on the 6th March and was receptive to Blaze on the 31st, 25 days later.
This year she had her first shed on 30th January and accepted his advances for the first time on the 6th March, so she's been different every year so far.

Not sure if this helps you, but hopefully it does show that the timing can vary quite a lot even with the same female :shrugs:

Susielea said:

I don't brumate.

In 2006 my female RO became receptive 12 days after her second shed of the year, which was 21st April, mated 2nd May.
In 2007 she had her second shed on the 6th March and was receptive to Blaze on the 31st, 25 days later.
This year she had her first shed on 30th January and accepted his advances for the first time on the 6th March, so she's been different every year so far.

Not sure if this helps you, but hopefully it does show that the timing can vary quite a lot even with the same female :shrugs:

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How often where you putting her with a male?

zorro said:

How often where you putting her with a male?

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Every 4 to 7 days, starting right after the first shed of the year and avoiding the first couple of days after a feed. This is the first year she has become receptive after the "first" shed of the year.

Susielea said:

Every 4 to 7 days, starting right after the first shed of the year and avoiding the first couple of days after a feed. This is the first year she has become receptive after the "first" shed of the year.

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Thank you, thats about the same for me just wanted to make sure I was often enough. I avoid the first days after eating also but have some males that still want to crap to mark.

That is helpful. It might be that she just isn't receptive yet. Due to her small size and his, I wasn't sure if it was just lack of maturity or something else going on. She has some rib deformities up father on her back, but I had her checked over by two different vets and had her x-rayed and they both feel that it isn't something she's going to pass on, or that should affect her ability to carry eggs. We'll see. I was really wanting to see if she has either hypo or lavendar genes in her which is why I'm pairing her with my hypo lav.

I would keep trying.

I have never brumated and this is my third year breeding. This year I finally saw that some girls were ovulating and could tell by others' behavior that they were ready to breed. It happened a few weeks earlier than last year too - not sure why. I actually find it is the boys that tell me when the girls are in the mood! One starts refusing to eat and the others start moving around their enclosure and staying at the front of their tubs!

Good luck.

Well

They may take a bit longer ,try breeding them when it rains at night,also try feeding the female first then add the male. I always watch them to see whats going on.I used his brother for a breeding and he did the job! Hope all goes good for you.

I've tried the storm breeding. Nothing. Feeding first? Do you mean feed her then breed? I've done that as well. My problem is that I'm just not sure that the boy is up for it. He did seem to get interested the last time though and lifted his tail, but she still isn't receptive. I'll keep trying them together every week. When I brumate them it's just so much easier. They generally follow the schedule quite nicely. Take them out of brumation, feed them up, first shed, put them together. Usually within a week they will go to it.

I know there is a lot of breeders out there that don't brumate and it works for them but for me it is a lot easer to have some kind order to everything. But with my female I just keep trying like you.
John

It definitely takes more introductions when they are not brumated by the sound of it.

Just keep trying Meg, as I'm sure he will know exactly what to do once she becomes receptive. My male acts like the dumbest boy in the world if the female is not ready, that or he's just very gentlemanly, but as soon as she is, he knows exactly what he should be doing

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, best wishes,

Hmm

I would guess its not him his 125 gram brother bred already! :shrugs:

I'm coming to the conclusion that she's just not ready yet....I'll keep putting them together and see what happens.

I used to not brumate, and when I didn't they would never hook up until April/May. Maybe its the change in day length or some other unknown? I would maybe just try putting them together every other week until they finally go for it. And not try to pair them too often, as you don't want to create any undue stress or anything on them.

But I'm sure they'll go for you eventually, sounds like she's playing hard to get.

When I lived in Idaho, I had several successful breeding without a brumation cycle. Now that I live down here, I haven't had any successful breedings without cycling. Granted, I've only tried it a few times.......I've also had better results temperature cycling later in the year than I did in Idaho.

I don't think your male is too young. I've bred males at 12 months and 100 grams.

Chris