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Difference between revisions of "Breeding"

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'''[[:Category:DF2012:Breeding|Breeding]]''' creatures (those with the necessary {{token|CHILD|c}} tokens) can produce offspring in fortress mode. Conversely, '''[[:Category:DF2012:Non-Breeding|non-breeding]]''' creatures cannot reproduce in fortress mode, even though they may do so during worldgen (e.g. [[dragon]]s). Breeding creatures are significantly more useful as stock for a [[meat industry]] than their non-breeding counterparts.
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'''{{catlink|Breeding}}''' creatures are those which can produce offspring in fortress mode. Conversely, '''{{catlink|Non-Breeding|non-breeding}}''' creatures cannot reproduce in fortress mode, even though they presumably do so during worldgen. Breeding creatures are significantly more useful as stock for a [[meat industry]] than their non-breeding counterparts.
 
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When a male and a female of the same breeding species are present on the map, sooner or later the male will impregnate the female. Animal reproduction requires absolutely no contact between them, and in fact will occur regardless of distance, physical obstacles such as walls or locked doors, number of each gender, and even ownership. This has been jokingly referred to by players as spore-based breeding; even a male in a herd of wild animals outside the fortress walls can impregnate a female deep in the lowest level, and females can get pregnant again immediately after giving birth (much like dwarves). One way to prevent pregnancy is by [[cage|caging]] all the females, but those that are already pregnant can give birth while caged (also much like dwarves). (Males who are caged are still able to breed.) Breeding also appears to be prevented while creatures are [[swimming]].
 
  
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==Breeding Mechanics==
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To be able to breed, a creature must have separate {{token|MALE|c}} and {{token|FEMALE|c}} castes. Genderless and one-gendered creatures are incapable of breeding. In addition, intelligent creatures must be married or otherwise "marriage-compatible", even if they do not actually marry ingame.
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When a compatible male and an uncaged female of the same species are on adjacent tiles, they'll breed when idle.
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===Prevention===
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Breeding can be prevented by [[gelding]] males, separating males and females, caging females, or while (non-aquatic?) creatures are [[swimming]]. Caged males are still capable of breeding, assuming the female can approach the cage. Pregnant non-egglaying females can give birth in cages, but not get pregnant again unless released.
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===Limits on breeding===
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Excluding your fortress citizens, there is a per-creature-type population cap of 50, past which breeding animals will not get pregnant; existing pregnancies will mature to term. Furthermore, animals will not reproduce if children make up more than 75% of their population - for creatures which take longer than a year to grow up (such as elephants, which take 10 years), this can slow breeding significantly. Once the population drops below these caps, the creatures will begin breeding again.
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All non-sentient animals have a gestation period of 6 months (your citizens are 9 months), but there are several factors that can prevent them from breeding:
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1. Too many adults - if you have more than 50 per species, they will stop breeding.
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2. Too many children - if more than 75% of that animal's population is juvenile, they will stop breeding until the young ones grow up.
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3. They're not interested - the animals in your "breeding pairs" are homosexual or otherwise uninterested in reproducing, which is the case for 5% of all animals.
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==Off-map breeding==
 
[[Invader]]s normally are incapable of breeding, but they have been observed to arrive on the map pregnant. Additionally, invaders (whether soldiers or mounts) can become pregnant and breed while on the map if they possess the {{token|PET|c}} or {{token|PET_EXOTIC|c}} tokens (and a {{token|PET_VALUE|c}}), but their parents will immediately attack their offspring unless they are separated from each other (such as via [[Trap#Cage_Trap|cage traps]]).
 
[[Invader]]s normally are incapable of breeding, but they have been observed to arrive on the map pregnant. Additionally, invaders (whether soldiers or mounts) can become pregnant and breed while on the map if they possess the {{token|PET|c}} or {{token|PET_EXOTIC|c}} tokens (and a {{token|PET_VALUE|c}}), but their parents will immediately attack their offspring unless they are separated from each other (such as via [[Trap#Cage_Trap|cage traps]]).
  
There is a per-creature-type population cap, observed to be around 50, past which breeding animals will not get pregnant; existing pregnancies will mature to term. Furthermore, animals will not reproduce if children make up more than 75% of their population - for creatures which take longer than a year to grow up (such as elephants, which take 10 years), this can slow breeding significantly. Once the population drops below these caps, the creatures will begin breeding again.
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As non-historical non-pet fully-sentient figures cannot breed, visitors are more often able to breed than invaders, though this is countered by their relatively common separation from loved ones by distance or death.
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==Bugs==
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* It is intended for attributes to be inheritable <sup>[https://www.bay12games.com/media/df_talk_8_transcript.html DF Talk #8 (2010)]</sup>, but [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=176850.msg8164148#msg8164148 latest testing] suggests there is minimal impact on either strength or body size.
  
 
{{Category|Creature attributes}}
 
{{Category|Creature attributes}}
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[[ru:Breeding]]

Latest revision as of 13:15, 6 July 2024

This article is about the current version of DF.
Note that some content may still need to be updated.

Breeding creatures are those which can produce offspring in fortress mode. Conversely, non-breeding creatures cannot reproduce in fortress mode, even though they presumably do so during worldgen. Breeding creatures are significantly more useful as stock for a meat industry than their non-breeding counterparts.


Breeding Mechanics[edit]

To be able to breed, a creature must have separate [MALE] and [FEMALE] castes. Genderless and one-gendered creatures are incapable of breeding. In addition, intelligent creatures must be married or otherwise "marriage-compatible", even if they do not actually marry ingame.

When a compatible male and an uncaged female of the same species are on adjacent tiles, they'll breed when idle.

Prevention[edit]

Breeding can be prevented by gelding males, separating males and females, caging females, or while (non-aquatic?) creatures are swimming. Caged males are still capable of breeding, assuming the female can approach the cage. Pregnant non-egglaying females can give birth in cages, but not get pregnant again unless released.

Limits on breeding[edit]

Excluding your fortress citizens, there is a per-creature-type population cap of 50, past which breeding animals will not get pregnant; existing pregnancies will mature to term. Furthermore, animals will not reproduce if children make up more than 75% of their population - for creatures which take longer than a year to grow up (such as elephants, which take 10 years), this can slow breeding significantly. Once the population drops below these caps, the creatures will begin breeding again.

All non-sentient animals have a gestation period of 6 months (your citizens are 9 months), but there are several factors that can prevent them from breeding:

1. Too many adults - if you have more than 50 per species, they will stop breeding.

2. Too many children - if more than 75% of that animal's population is juvenile, they will stop breeding until the young ones grow up.

3. They're not interested - the animals in your "breeding pairs" are homosexual or otherwise uninterested in reproducing, which is the case for 5% of all animals.

Off-map breeding[edit]

Invaders normally are incapable of breeding, but they have been observed to arrive on the map pregnant. Additionally, invaders (whether soldiers or mounts) can become pregnant and breed while on the map if they possess the [PET] or [PET_EXOTIC] tokens (and a [PET_VALUE]), but their parents will immediately attack their offspring unless they are separated from each other (such as via cage traps).

As non-historical non-pet fully-sentient figures cannot breed, visitors are more often able to breed than invaders, though this is countered by their relatively common separation from loved ones by distance or death.

Bugs[edit]