Question on mating

[rixusaku]

If a BTS has mated before, is it recommended to allow them to continue to mate or would it be fine for them to not do so anymore? The reason I'm asking is because I've been doing some thinking after finding out that ferrets don't do well health wise when you detach them from a breeding cycle once they've been introduced to it, so it got me wondering if other animals are the same? I don't know if BTS can develop some health issues once they've mated before and are no longer introduced to the activity anymore.

Noodle has mated I think twice before and was in the store with a confirmed mate when I got him (in different enclosures). They were having a special on buying the two skinks together, but I didn't think it would be a good idea for me, a new reptile keeper, to jump head in blind with breeding, so I only got Noodle since he seemed to be the more tempered of the two of them and nicer.

If it's recommended to let them continue to mate, does anyone know if there are some people out there who "donate", for a lack of a better description, their skink for mating purposes? I wouldn't mind letting a breeder in the area using him to mate with any of their other skinks once a year, but it also seems like they've got their own carefully setup breeding system going anyway, so I'm not sure if the notion is ridiculous?

Any thoughts??? It would make it easier on me if I don't have to worry about it lol!

[mb606587]

It's perfectly OK for your skink not to mate again. As for your second question, yes it's called a breeding loan and typically done for rare or expensive animals

[rixusaku]

He is a morph, which to my understanding is pretty rare in itself considering the importation of Australian breeds is illegal, so I think if I wanted to go ahead and do a breed loan I might have that option. It's good to know it's not necessary for their health though.

Thank you for the info!