Breeding Honduran Milks

Question
QUESTION: I have 2 very young honduran milks they are appx 6 months old right now and I was wondering if there was an age limit on breeding them or if it is a size thing or a combination of the 2, because everything I have been able to find says "mature".

THX

ANSWER: It's actually a combination of the two.  Generally speaking, female snakes of most species shouldn't be bred until they are 3 years old.  They also have to be at a certain safe weight, which varies between species.
The weight is more important than the age, but you'll have a healthier and more productive female if you wait for her to be at least 3.

Because they are Lampropeltis, of course, you want the male to be VERY similar in size to the female...so he doesn't get eaten, lol.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok thank you and do you know an appx weight? And would it be better if the male was slightly bigger than the female because the male seems to be growing faster than the female even though they are being fed on the same schedule

Answer
Actually, apparently some females can reach proper weight by 18 months, with intensive feeding (that's true of ball pythons as well--but 3 years is still best).  I'm afraid I don't know the proper safe weight for Honduran milk snakes--you will have to track down a person who breeds Hondurans, and ask them, or find a book on breeding milk snakes that has that information.  It doesn't seem to be 'readily googled', and I don't own any milk snakes.

Milk snakes breed best with a brumation period, like many other colubrids.  You do not want EITHER animal to be much bigger than the other when you attempt to breed them.  These snakes are cannibals.  Pairings should be carefully supervised.  Don't worry about who's growing faster at their current age, the female will catch up eventually.