question about maternal incubation

[loonunit]

I've read in several places that female pythons control the temp of their eggs during maternal incubation, either by basking and returning with the heat, or by vibrating a particular set of muscles. But today I just read that that's incorrect--while burmese pythons actually produce heat during maternal incubation, ball python females really only guard the eggs, and the temps are completely set by the environment.

Can anybody verify that? What's the story on temperatures and maternal incubation for ball pythons, then?

[sarahlovesmiike]

I believe you're supposed to leave the humidity a bit lower for her to regulate, but the temps need to be kept at a steady 89 degrees because she cannot regulate that herself. Also, most females lay on the heat so they don't go basking because most people don't use lamps. If you use a lamp it will suck the humidity out and harm the eggs.


I read a thread on here a while ago about someone who was maternally incubating and s/he left everything in the tubs as they were before she laid. I'm not sure how that turned out, and I can't remember who posted it. Perhaps they will chime in here.

[Quiet Tempest]

Balls can't generate heat the way other pythons do. I've read that, instead, they leave their eggs to bask outside of their den and return to brood when their bodies have warmed up. The temperature is likely warm and cozy inside an African burrow, as well.. so that's another consideration. In a captive environment, she never has to leave the eggs unless she chooses to. She'll lay her eggs where she believes is ideal for brooding (usually the warm end of her enclosure) and she'll tighten her coils to maintain higher humidity surrounding her eggs. All three of my females this year have pushed aside their bedding laid their eggs directly on the plastic over the heat tape. Two clutches have already hatched and the third is due to hatch in September.