diamond python colonies

[Keeth]

what is the best male to female ratio in an outdoor diamond python enclosure

[Fuscus]

I don't know about snakes, but my favourite ratio is about 15 girls to one (me)

[Parko]

I'm sure you'd be the man for the job Fuscus.
As for diamonds I was reading the other day that diamonds are one of the only pythons that'll quite happily share the females(unlike me, 3`s a crowd I say) So may not be such an issue Keeth.However in an ideal world reckon there would be less males and more females (diamond pythons and human)

[Fuscus]

I'm assuming you are asking about the sex ratio because you want to breed the animals.
I'm sure I'll be corrected if I am wrong but my impression is with carpets is that you kept the sexes seperate then introduce the males into the females cage about september. Introduce two males, let them realize that that there is something worth arguing about then remove the "Loser" (ie. the one you don't want to breed from).

[Robert]

I have seen enclosure's with 6 or so,fairly even ratio.Seem to become a tight nit little community with lots of lovin.Of course need appropiate set up.(plenty of branches,hide box's).
Would keep an eye out for any over aggresive more dominate animals.

[mystic_herps]

Diamonds do not engage in combat unlike other species of pythons.The best ratio is also more males then females unlike other species as the females are known to communal breed with several males during the 1 season.Also keeping the sexes together year round seems to stimulate a better breeding response with this species unlike other pythons that respond better to seperation and introduction.

[Artie]

Well-said John!
I would say IMO, one could still have more females than just one in an outdoor enclosure, if one so chose.
As far as the communal breeding with several males, that’s true, but I think it's governed (in the wild) because there are prob. less females then males, or harder to find and when several males find a female, they are not going to just leave again und will nicely wait their turn.
As with as humans, the men are real gentlemen and the women, .......
Na just kidding Girls!

[Slateman]

My opinion is that in the wild is less males then females, because in breeding season males are actively looking for female and get killed by people and predators at a much higher ratio. Males are more vulnerable to effects of human population by my opinion.
But again this is just my opinion and i can be wrong.

[Artie]

Good point Slatey, but if there are less males and five or six congregate around one female, that means a lot of females will be missing out of fun. :wink:

[luke]

i want 5 or 6 females

[mystic_herps]

Personally I myself would prefer more females than males as this would mean larger production of siblings

But a friend of mine breeds hes diamonds with a ratio of 2 males to each female.He says this ration stimulates the females willingness to breed.He keeps a large amount in an outside aviary year round except for when cooling.At this time they are all seperated with no artificial heating then reintroduced inside the aviary.I would use 2 males per 1-4 females.

[Robert]

Yer i think is a good idea to seperate while cooling but keeping them together for the rest of the year.
Ratio wise i would go for 2 males/2-4 females aswell.(preferably 4)
(but i spose it's what the bank acc. would allow).

[Switch]

This year one pair of my Diamonds would not do the woosh bang thankyou mam, I put a second male in the enclosure and within about 3 -4 hours they were doin the wild theng !!!!!

[Slateman]

I was talking about ratio of male and female in the wild Artie. But on the other hand. female in the wilde do not breed yearly, so plenty of males for the willing girls.

[mystic_herps]

Originally Posted by Switch

This year one pair of my Diamonds would not do the woosh bang thankyou mam, I put a second male in the enclosure and within about 3 -4 hours they were doin the wild theng !!!!!

According to my friend the ratio of more males than females is best for this exact reason.This is why he keeps a ratio of 2.1.The important thing is having several males for breeding stimulation.Whether you have a single female or a colony 2 males would be a minimum for good success.