New Breeder Looking For Advice

[Liz_0401]

Hello everyone new to the forums as I am looking to take my BP passion to the next level. I have been keeping all kinds of reptiles for many years and absolutely adore all of them!

If you have any tips for a newbie looking to breed it would be greatly appreciated! I have done lots of research on my own along with reading the stickys here. From what I have read it seems like everyone one has a slightly different method that work for them, so mind sharing yours? I am currently working on figuring out the differences in many of the morphs, but there is SO MANY and I am having a hard time finding a source that gives some sort of description instead of just picture. Pictures certainly help, but I feel like many times I am looking at the same morph over and over since there isn't much difference. At least to my untrained eye.

I currently have a female lesser BP who is 3 years old and 3 feet in length and then I also have a 2015 cb Banana Ball male.

Questions I have:

1. What method of breeding have you found works for you?

2. Should I incubate or leave the eggs with the female?

3. What age/weight do you breed at?

4. Any good resources to look into for morphs?

5. What to you use as breeding boxes? Containers? Tanks? etc.? and What Size?

6. Do you brumate/cooling period?

7. Do you follow a breeding season?

8. What morphs should I add to my collection?

9. Is there a difference between Lesser and Butter? I have seen that as of now there is no proven difference between a banana and a coralglow correct?

10. Any other information you might find helpful?

Sorry for all the questions and thank you for any help or information!

[StillBP]

1.best method of breeding is to put males in with females
(no that is not me being smart) when your males are large enough and females are ready introduce the males on a 3 day on 3 day off
2. no wile some people let the female incubate it is less stressful on her and easier to control in a incubator
3. most excepted is 2 years min 1200grams for females(tho i wait till their third year personaly) and 500 grams for males around a year
4.world of ball pythons . com
5. the females cage
6. no need
7. i start putting males in with females in november
8. depends on what else other than the lesser and banana that you like
9 no lesser and butter are the same so are banana and corral glow
10. ask every question you can think of to as many people that will answer you
talk to everyone and do lots of research and good luck

[Mr. Misha]

I am currently working on figuring out the differences in many of the morphs, but there is SO MANY and I am having a hard time finding a source that gives some sort of description instead of just picture. Pictures certainly help, but I feel like many times I am looking at the same morph over and over since there isn't much difference. At least to my untrained eye.

Welcome!

http://www.worldofballpythons.com/ is your friend. The site shows a photo and what genes make that morph. I suggest downloading the app.

I'd spend a good amount of time taking everything in and then making a decision whether you want to breed or not.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[Bigfish1975]

Welcome to an addiction. To answer your questions, there's a lot of different opinions and practices. I'll share what works best for me.

1. I figure out my pairing plans well in advance. It always seems to change. I put my males in on Sunday and pull them out Wednesday. Earlier if I observe a lock and then separation. I then offer meals.

2. I personally incubate. We have too much variation in temp and poor humidity here for maternal incubation.

3. I personally wait for 3 years old and 1800 grams. I tend to get really nice clutch numbers and big healthy babies as a result of waiting. Although many people do well with females of 1500 grams range. Personal preference here.

4. WOBP as shown by Mr. Misha is great to see animals, genetic wizard, articles etc.

5. I have a rack system. My adult males are in 32 qt tubs and the females are in 41qt.

6. My snake room is in the garage and naturally cools. I do not try to drop temps. I sometimes need to heat the room slightly on really cold nights.

7. I start my breeding season on November 1. I typically pair animals until March or so. I usually start seeing less activity in the breeding sense by then.

8. Depends on what you like there. Again personal preference comes into play.

9.From what I've gathered. Basically 2 people found snakes that look nearly the same. one called it lesser and the other a butter. That's my understanding at least.

10. Ask questions. Talk to breeders. Don't sacrifice quality for quantity. Great deals are the ones that work for you and your project goals. Always put the animals health and well being before anything else. Make sure it remains fun.

Good luck, again these are what works for me. I hope it helps.

Mike
Porter's Pythons

[PitOnTheProwl]

1. What method of breeding have you found works for you? What methods other than male and female are there?

2. Should I incubate or leave the eggs with the female? Incubator is the easiest way with little worry IF you build it right.

3. What age/weight do you breed at? 2+ years and 1300+ grams depending on the overall of the female. Males usually around 800g but bred a 600g male without problems.

4. Any good resources to look into for morphs? Here, Morph Market, World of Ball Pythons

5. What to you use as breeding boxes? Containers? Tanks? etc.? and What Size? 41q female rack

6. Do you brumate/cooling period? No

7. Do you follow a breeding season? All year

8. What morphs should I add to my collection? That's up to what YOU like.

9. Is there a difference between Lesser and Butter? I have seen that as of now there is no proven difference between a banana and a coralglow correct? no comment

10. Any other information you might find helpful? Study, study and study.

Hope this isn't going to be your only post on the forum...

[Liz_0401]

So sorry I haven't gotten back to anyone! Thank you for all the great advice it has really helped This will not be my only post I broke my knee cap a couple weeks back and have not had much time to answer or look into other threads.

I do have another question I have a 3 year old female that is weighing in at 1092g and has refused to eat for 3 weeks now. I have asked a few other groups if I should wait to breed her. She looks very plump and healthy and they have said to try and breeder it may stimulate her to breed and she would be fine, but that is greatly conflicting with the information here.... Any input have a been given bad advice I want was is best for my snakes.

[Mustang5]

So sorry I haven't gotten back to anyone! Thank you for all the great advice it has really helped This will not be my only post I broke my knee cap a couple weeks back and have not had much time to answer or look into other threads.

I do have another question I have a 3 year old female that is weighing in at 1092g and has refused to eat for 3 weeks now. I have asked a few other groups if I should wait to breed her. She looks very plump and healthy and they have said to try and breeder it may stimulate her to breed and she would be fine, but that is greatly conflicting with the information here.... Any input have a been given bad advice I want was is best for my snakes.

My female is in the same position. She hasn't eaten in 2 weeks and is about 1200g. I am personally waiting until she gets closer to 1500g. To me 1100g sounds a little small, I would rather have my females safe because I have heard of BPs passing because they were bred to young. So my advice is just wait a couple months she'll be ready soon enough.

[BCS]

1. What method of breeding have you found works for you?

Is there a one true method? For me, it's wait till the female and are at perfect weight and stick them together.

2. Should I incubate or leave the eggs with the female?

I vote incubate.

3. What age/weight do you breed at?

Females: 1500g+ and their third winter.
Males: 700g+ and their second winter.

4. Any good resources to look into for morphs?

Morph Market and World of Ball Pythons

5. What to you use as breeding boxes? Containers? Tanks? etc.? and What Size?

I use 36q for females and males. 6q for hatchlings, 21q for sub adults.

6. Do you brumate/cooling period?

I breed during fall and winter and the room my snakes are in naturally cools down. Heat tape is at 90F all year round.

7. Do you follow a breeding season?

October is when I start pairing. Ball pythons will breed all year round though.

8. What morphs should I add to my collection?

This isn't something we can tell you. It's whatever you want.

9. Is there a difference between Lesser and Butter? I have seen that as of now there is no proven difference between a banana and a coralglow correct?

No, there is no difference between Lesser or Butter and same thing with Coral Glow and Banana.

10. Any other information you might find helpful?

Always have a plan before breeding. Have everything you need before breeding, incubator, racks, food supply, heat source, money for vets. Anything can happen and it is NEVER predictable when or what will happen.

I do have another question I have a 3 year old female that is weighing in at 1092g and has refused to eat for 3 weeks now. I have asked a few other groups if I should wait to breed her. She looks very plump and healthy and they have said to try and breeder it may stimulate her to breed and she would be fine, but that is greatly conflicting with the information here.... Any input have a been given bad advice I want was is best for my snakes.

That is too small. I would wait another year or until she gains more weight. Always better safe than sorry. Refusing for three weeks isn't something to really worry about but if she is losing A LOT of weight very quickly, the worst thing you can do is breed her.

[Liz_0401]

My female is in the same position. She hasn't eaten in 2 weeks and is about 1200g. I am personally waiting until she gets closer to 1500g. To me 1100g sounds a little small, I would rather have my females safe because I have heard of BPs passing because they were bred to young. So my advice is just wait a couple months she'll be ready soon enough.

Well I know she is not to young she is almost 4 years old... but weight wise she is on the low side... I will give her a few months I have also heard of some BP that just stay small. She looks plenty big enough around to hold eggs and is plump, but I'd rather be safe then sorry. Thank you

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She has not lost any weight she is the same she has always been

[StillBP]

one of my sisters (i have 4 sisters) is half the size of the rest cause she refused to eat for almost six months when i first got her. tho she never lost alot of weight from her fast she did not grow eather and is the only female I have this year that will not have a male put in with her as she is only 1090g your best to wait for the right size than risk the female