2.1 or 1.1

[kingTom]

hi all!is better for future breeding to have 2 male and 1 female or 1 male and 2 female?is more easy 2.1 or 1.2 instead a pair or is the same thing?another question, when thamnophis sirtalis reaches sexual maturity?it depends by weigh or age?thank you all!sorry for the english.

[guidofatherof5]

Your English is just fine. Don't worry about it.
If your male is breeding age and working() I would rather have 1 male and 2 females.

[chris-uk]

I'd go for 1 male and 2 females in an ideal world, and if I was trying to maximise the number of offspring. At the moment we just have 2 males (one Western Blackneck and one Cuitzeo) and they only have one potential female each. I may try to find some extra females for them before they get to breeding age.

[kingTom]

thank youuuuuuu!!!!!can you tell me something about the breeding age too please????

[chris-uk]

I understand prime breeding age for a female to be 2 years and on. For a male I think you'd find some of the guys on here have had males breeding at little more than a year old, and the father of our checkereds was over 12 years old.

Personally, I've seen our 18 month-old Cuitzeos courting and lock up, after which we split them up to give the female a chance to grow larger before we let them breed.

[Jeff B]

You can get a pair to breed at one year or first spring, provided they are great feeders and grow fast, and you feed them alot and more often and keep them warm, but you will likely have small litters. 2 yrs old would be a more average/typical breeding age.

[Mommy2many]

I agree with all of the above. 1 Male, 2 females, all 2 years or older. Perfect breeding ages. Good Luck!