Breeding 101

[Peoples]

So I've noticed numerous questions on Breeding ball pythons in terms of weight, when to breed, how long should they be left together, how do I know and such like, so here is a comprehensive breeding guide, I will try to update periodically.

When is a good time to Breed?
Breeding season in the northern hemisphere: Autumn-winter matings with eggs in the spring, however an owner basically has climate control and therefore can create the ideal climatic conditions to allow a Ball Python to breed anytime of the year.

At what weight is it ok to Breed

• Recommended weight for females to breed: minimum 1200 grams, preferred 1500 grams
  
• Recommended weight for males to breed: minimum 500 grams, preferred 800 grams

The Procedure

Breeding begins:
3 weeks after hibernation begins [when you Bp refuses food 3 consecutive weeks]

Breeding ends:
when the male loses interest or the female ovulates

Pre-egg-lay shed:
takes place 15-20 days after ovulation

Egg-laying:
takes place approximately 30 days after pre-egg-lay shed

Incubation range:
89-90° Fahrenheit

Hatching:
takes place after approximately 50-60 days of incubation

Conditioning

Breeding ball pythons is usually very easy. Most ball pythons breed readily in captivity as long as they are healthy animals. Those kept at optimal conditions and are fed properly will produce many clutches of eggs; in fact, it is thought that once ball pythons reach sexual maturity, they are able to reproduce until they die. Proper care and knowledge of the animal should be mastered before attempting to breed these animals, as the experience will assist you in your breeding efforts in addition to helping to produce healthy babies.

Females
Each female ball python can lay one clutch of eggs per year, provided that she has stored enough fat during the previous year. Only female ball pythons at least 1200 grams in weight should be considered for breeding, and 1500 grams is recommended. Bigger females mean bigger clutches of eggs or larger eggs, which transfers into healthier babies. The smaller females, however, are more at risk for many problems arising from breeding. One example is becoming egg-bound, resulting in a pricey operation to remove the eggs and possibly causing the female to be unable to reproduce for life— and that’s only one example! The best thing to do is not get ahead of yourself— or your snake, as the case may be— and let her gain the proper weight before you attempt to breed her. Feed her well until hibernation begins., but do not power-feed your animals! (Power-feeding is when one feeds a snake one meal every 3 days or so and basically the snake just has time to defecate before they are fed again.) Just as breeding too young can cause problems, power-feeding can also cause problems because while the snake's weight might be up to par, his/her reproductive organs probably are not. Feed them a regular schedule of one prey item every 7-10 days until they gain sufficient weight. Females usually stop feeding in November or December and do not begin feeding again until after the clutch is laid. It is possible, however, for the female to accept a few meals in the spring before she ovulates.

Males
Male ball pythons can and will breed with a number of females in the same season if given the opportunity. However, the male’s body weight and overall well-being should be considered during the breeding season. Males as small as 500 grams have mated successfully to produce viable eggs with the female; however, males should be at 800 grams before any serious attempts to breed are made. During the breeding season, males will willingly go for months without food if they smell the pheromones of the female. This is not good for your male ball python, as he can lose far too much body weight and become very weak. During the breeding season, it is essential that you keep a close eye on the male(s) and make the decision to pull them out of the mating processes if he exhibits signs of exhaustion. If this is the case, place him in a room away from all females in order for him to regain his desire to feed instead of breed.

Playtime

Mating
Ball pythons begin copulating in autumn, shortly after hibernation begins. Hibernation is marked by the snakes’ refusal of food. Usually males begin to refuse food first (sometimes as early as August, but usually in October) while the females tend to stop feeding in November or December. Cooling is often required to achieve this, but if a snake voluntarily refuses his/her food for three consecutive weeks without prior cooling, the keeper should cool the tank. This is done to prevent the male from losing too much body weight (warmer temperatures speed up the snake’s metabolism, so if he/she isn’t feeding the body weight will drop while nothing is being added to increase it). Do not, however, cool the tank until the snake has refused food for three consecutive weeks. If you cool the tank too early, the snake will not properly digest its last prey item.

After about three weeks of hibernation (this go by when the male begins to hibernate; some females feed and breed during the same month or months), place the male in the female’s enclosure as the males care less about their living quarters during the breeding season. Leave them together overnight. When you observe them the following morning, most likely their tails will be wrapped together. If this is the case, leave them alone until they separate (which in some cases can be as long as two days or as short as eight hours). If they have not begun breeding, a light misting of water can stimulate them to begin. Once the snakes have finished copulating, place the male back in his own enclosure. After four to five days of separation, reintroduce the male to the female (or to another female). Repeat this process until the female ovulates or the male loses interest. Rest assured the female does not have to breed just prior to ovulation. Female ball pythons can store sperm from the males for several months. Females ovulate in the spring; this is characterized by a large mid-body swelling that lasts for approximately twenty-four hours, and is usually accompanied by what is referred to as a "tail suck," when the tail looks as though all of the fat has been sucked out.

Egg Laying
Gravid, or pregnant, females should not be handled. Once the female has ovulated, do not handle her unless it is an absolute necessity. Approximately fifteen to twenty days after ovulation, the female will shed; this shed is referred to as her “pre-egg-lay shed.” At this time, it is best to place a tray filled with barely damp sphagnum moss over the heat pad inside the tank with the female. She will make a nest for herself, usually over the hot spot. (If you plan to artificially incubate the eggs, this is also a good time to set up the incubator in order to regulate the temperatures at 89-90° Fahrenheit. If you are using a hova bator, this is an especially good idea, as these incubators' temperatures tend to fluctuate for the first few days.) You may also notice your female lying with her belly in the air. It is not known why most (but not all) female ball pythons do this. Some speculation is that the female is more comfortable this way, or that the developing eggs are getting better heat; perhaps it is a combination of both. In any case, seeing this is a very good sign. Approximately thirty days after her pre-egg-lay shed, she will become very restless and soon settle down to lay her clutch. And beware! Even the most docile of ball pythons can become extremely aggressive when it is a female protecting her eggs! It is best to stay calm and try not to make any sudden movements around a female when she is coiled around her eggs.

Incubation
Maternal incubation is often hard to achieve during captivity. It is just often too difficult to provide the female with everything she needs for the entire duration of incubation.

For best success go with artificial incubation however maternal incubation is optional. For the incubation medium, use a mixture of vermiculite and perlite. To mix this, add two cups of vermiculite for every one cup of perlite. Once you have achieved this mixture, dampen it with water on a 1:1 ratio but weight of mixture to water. The medium should be damp, not wet and clump together when squeeze without dripping water. The incubator should be filled with five to six inches of this mixture and a depression made in the center for the egg mass to rest. Once the female has laid her eggs, they may be checked for viability before placing them inside the incubator. To determine if an egg is viable, use a strong flashlight (I prefer the LEDs) in a dark room. If the egg is viable, you will see a series of veins running through the egg. Place the viable eggs into the incubator, moving them with the same side up so as not to disrupt the air pocket inside at the top of the egg. Throw away any eggs that are not fertile. If eggs stick together, do not attempt to separate them; move them as a unit. If infertile eggs are among these, it is okay to leave them alone. They usually will not harm the other eggs. Once all of the eggs are in the incubator, surround them with the medium about ¾ of the way up (if using a hova bator, I would recommend mostly burying the eggs with the medium; since hova bators are short, the heat source will be very close to the top of the pile, and can dry out any eggs there--covering them with medium helps them to retain their moisture). Now is also a good time to remove all of the female’s tank furnishings and wash them with soap and water to remove the egg smell before they come into contact with the female again. She will not feed again until the egg smell is gone; if you are planning on maternal incubation, the egg smell will also determine her feeding habits then as well, so don't expect her to take many, if any, meals until the eggs begin to hatch.

Open the incubator once every three days for less than sixty seconds each time to allow air exchange. Also, during the first two weeks of incubation, the eggs should be checked for dimpling. If the eggs dimple, their medium is probably too dry. Add water by pouring water in the medium around the eggs, but do not pour water directly on the eggs as it will drown them. Add water slowly, and check them each subsequent day to determine if they have regained their turgidity. Once they become turgid to the touch, you have reached your desired moisture level. Incubate the eggs at 89-90° Fahrenheit. After 50-60 days of incubation, the babies will begin to hatch. About two weeks prior to hatching, the eggs will begin to dimple. At this time, it is not necessary to add water; they are supposed to dimple before they hatch because the babies are absorbing calcium from the shell and causing it to become weaker.

Hatchlings
Once the babies poke their heads out of the egg, they will rest for a while, sometimes as long as twenty-four hours before they fully emerge. It is important that the babies remain in the egg during this time, as they are still absorbing yolk and will not leave the egg until this process is complete. Once they have fully emerged, place the baby in its own enclosure and offer it a warmed hiding spot and water. Neonates should be examined after hatching to determine if any excess umbilical material exists. If so, place the baby on damp newspaper or paper towels until it disconnects, then replace the substrate with dry paper. A full stomach of yolk will tide the babies over until after they have their first shed, which usually takes place about a week after hatching. After their shed, offer them a fuzzy rat. It may take up to two months before they begin to feed, but food should be offered after their first shed regardless. Don't panic if the baby refuses food for a few weeks; it takes some babies longer than others to figure it out. It is suggested that these animals be offered live prey at first, but should be switched over to pre-killed food at the first opportunity.

Once the babies have their first shed, it is very important that the babies are checked to make sure they have removed all of the shed skin, especially the eye caps and the tip of the tail, as this can cause problems in the future if left unchecked.

If you want to sex your baby snakes, it is best to do so before they reach two weeks of age, in which case they gain sufficient muscle control to make the "popping" method not completely accurate. "Popping" is a term for sexing the baby snakes that involves everting the hemipenes of males. Popping, if done correctly, does not harm the baby snakes in the least; however, incorrect popping can cause damage to the reproductive organs, so if you are inexperienced, it is best to have a someone who knows what they are doing show you how to do it. Also, be aware that you should not pop baby snakes that are going into a shed, as this can cause damage to the skin.

Good luck!

[RichsBallPythons]

Sounds good from skimming, but Hibernation is not a word to use with Pythons since they dont hibernate nor brumate

[Peoples]

Sounds good from skimming, but Hibernation is not a word to use with Pythons since they dont hibernate nor brumate

Actually letting your temps get too low can put your ball into hibernation and I know the term there would be to go off feed.

Criticism appreciated, just trying to share some info with first time breeders and clarify a few questions that keep popping up .

Thanks Rich!

[PitOnTheProwl]

What about the breeders that dont "cool"??

[Peoples]

What about the breeders that dont "cool"??

The method is merely a guideline for beginning breeders and in no way set in stone, in other words I'm not claiming my guide as the end all be all, I however see it best to follow what would naturally occur in the wild for these animals, those using orthodox methods with success are in no way pressured or inclined to follow or agree with the guide.

Thanks guys, the feed back is positive so far.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Breeding begins:
3 weeks after hibernation begins [when you Bp refuses food 3 consecutive weeks]

They don't hibernate

Cooling your animals is not = brumating, not with ball pythons, wrong terms being used here, additionally they do not have to be cooled to start breeding some breeders do not cool there animals.

all pythons begin copulating in autumn, shortly after hibernation begins. Hibernation is marked by the snakes’ refusal of food. Usually males begin to refuse food first (sometimes as early as August, but usually in October) while the females tend to stop feeding in November or December.

Again they do not brumate and food refusal is not synonym of brumation. many female will also eat all the way until ovulation while being cool in the process.

Do not, however, cool the tank until the snake has refused food for three consecutive weeks. If you cool the tank too early, the snake will not properly digest its last prey item.

BP can be cooled and still feeding during that time , seems like you are mistaking cooling BP and cooling colubrids which is VERY different.

Breeding ends:
when the male loses interest or the female ovulates

Lost of interest from the male is not necessarily mean the season is over either. Some males will lose interest at some point during the season and show interest again later on. Some will actually never seem to show interest too

There is more than one recipe when it comes to breeding BP it's about knowing your animals and what works for them.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I understand that you were just trying to be helpfull here to the newer folks... but the real lesson here is that one should not look for a "CliffsNotes" version on how to breed ball pythons. There is a little more to it then that, and lots of reading and question asking is how you need to go about learning the tricks of the trade.

Your write up has several key things that are completely and totally wrong. In fact, pretty much every section is wrong or at least questionable in some way.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Also, what works for one person might not work for another.
The list could go on but I dont think there is enough web space.

[snakesRkewl]

How long have you been breeding Peoples?
Curious minds want to know

[Simplex]

Regardless of its accuracy. Many of us that are first time breeders have been searching for something like this.

A place to get us started.. Rather then just... Put ur male and female together.. Type of thing..

Thanks for the effort peoples. But as the above posters have said there r some inaccuracys