Breeders-What features do you look for?

[shaunaroxanne]

When you have a clutch, what is it that you look for when deciding on a holdback for future breeding?

I am sure it varies according to what you are trying to accomplish with your breeding project. I just wondered what makes most of you say, "WOW". I don't expect a right or wrong answer, I just want to see how opinions differ.

For instance, out of the 23 I have now, I have one who stands out in coloration- he was born red and he stays red ALL the time (he's only a few weeks old so I know that could change). I have some with really beautiful and unique markings. I have two who are just HUGE and the shapes of their bodies look perfect. So what is most important to YOU?

 

[imcurt]

I look for empty cages to let those holdbacks grow up in. lol.. It realy depends on the local. Stick with the biggest males with the most color.

 

[sandrachameleon]

As a future breeder, I would choose a large, healthy and strong male, one that is not timid (even a little aggressive), and is a good eater, and with good potential for colour. Keep as many as you can house, so that you have several big healthy males to choose from, and then from those breed the ones that are the most colourful at a year old.

I put colour last because it takes awhile sometimes to know which one will be most colourful.

For example - I have two brothers right now where I choose one because he was, from the beginning full of colour. the other was for many months the least colourful of his group. I kept this less colourful one because he was big and bold, not whatsoever shy, and just "healthy looking". He turned out to also, eventually, be beautiful - now outshining even his pretty brother. It used to be every visitor picked the one that started our colourful, but now everyone is most taken with the one that was slow to colour-up, but is now the most colourful AND biggest.

 

[shaunaroxanne]

As a future breeder, I would choose a large, healthy and strong male, one that is not timid (even a little aggressive), and is a good eater, and with good potential for colour. Keep as many as you can house, so that you have several big healthy males to choose from, and then from those breed the ones that are the most colourful at a year old.

I put colour last because it takes awhile sometimes to know which one will be most colourful.

For example - I have two brothers right now where I choose one because he was, from the beginning full of colour. the other was for many months the least colourful of his group. I kept this less colourful one because he was big and bold, not whatsoever shy, and just "healthy looking". He turned out to also, eventually, be beautiful - now outshining even his pretty brother. It used to be every visitor picked the one that started our colourful, but now everyone is most taken with the one that was slow to colour-up, but is now the most colourful AND biggest.

Ah-hah! That makes sense! It's kind of like my husband's famous saying (he's a basketball coach), "You can't coach height". They will all eventially be colorful, but they won't all get to an impressive size. Thank you, that is very helpful advice!