I don't think absolute sexual maturity is the answer. For it is possible to have an older snake that doesn't develop working sexual paraphernalia. Would this make a 20 year old snake that has never bred, a juvy ? No.
I think, the 'average' age of sexual maturity across a particular species would be closer to a definition. Now, I don't know what age Amethystine become sexually mature, but lets assume, simply for this discussion, it is 4 years. Some may breed at 3 (early developer), some at 5 (late developer). That would make an Amethystine at 4 years of age and over, an adult, regardless of ability to breed. It would be a late bloomer, a slow developer, or a non producer, but it has passed the average age of first clutch for that species. The average sexual maturity age.
Humans as a species have a shifting line of adulthood depending on culture, lets agree with our society and claim 18 years of age as adulthood. If a child male or female, passes 18, and although sexually active, never manages to conceive or impregnate, does that drop them back to child status ? No, they are still considered to be adults, wether capable of children or not.
*Pondering... In some cultures a girl child is considered a woman at first menstruation. In other cultures, it is when the girl child conceives. When then, are the children of these cultures considered adults if they are not capable of reproduction ? What defines the time when a boy child is taken out for his first kill, the kill that raises him to adulthood status ?
It is all a moot point when considering the thread in question though. For although the seller calls this snake an adult at 5 foot, she doesn't mention how old it is.
Likely it's age is uncertain and the seller assumes the size, compared to most snake species, makes it an adult.
I think, the 'average' age of sexual maturity across a particular species would be closer to a definition. Now, I don't know what age Amethystine become sexually mature, but lets assume, simply for this discussion, it is 4 years. Some may breed at 3 (early developer), some at 5 (late developer). That would make an Amethystine at 4 years of age and over, an adult, regardless of ability to breed. It would be a late bloomer, a slow developer, or a non producer, but it has passed the average age of first clutch for that species. The average sexual maturity age.
Humans as a species have a shifting line of adulthood depending on culture, lets agree with our society and claim 18 years of age as adulthood. If a child male or female, passes 18, and although sexually active, never manages to conceive or impregnate, does that drop them back to child status ? No, they are still considered to be adults, wether capable of children or not.
*Pondering... In some cultures a girl child is considered a woman at first menstruation. In other cultures, it is when the girl child conceives. When then, are the children of these cultures considered adults if they are not capable of reproduction ? What defines the time when a boy child is taken out for his first kill, the kill that raises him to adulthood status ?
It is all a moot point when considering the thread in question though. For although the seller calls this snake an adult at 5 foot, she doesn't mention how old it is.
Likely it's age is uncertain and the seller assumes the size, compared to most snake species, makes it an adult.
