First ever Ball Python copulation, but...

[RBP]

...it was not planned!

I need a bit of advice.

A bit of background first. I have 7 ball pythons (1.6) most of which I've been raising since they were hatchlings. I keep them in a TGR rack that holds 5 FB70 tubs. Two of these tubs have dividers in them, so the rack holds 7 snakes. Three of my females are about 1400-1700 grams and those 3 are in undivided tubs. Two females are 800 grams or so, and are in one tub with a divider between them. The last divided tub holds my 750 gram male on one half, and my 1000 gram female on the other.

I wasn't planning to breed the 3 smaller females this year because I doubted they would get to a large enough size. This evening I got a huge surprise when I pulled out the tub with my male in it. He had somehow bent the divider and was locked with the female! Besides the obvious (that my divider sucks and I need a second rack) I need some advice on this.

The female eats well, but I'm concerned about her getting eggbound. Should I continue with the breeding and get her up to size? Any help would be awesome!

[Hannahshissyfix]

If she's only 1000g. then I would definitely not intentionally pair again and focus on getting another rack set up to seperate everything thats in a shared tub.

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[StillBP]

If she's only 1000g. then I would definitely not intentionally pair again and focus on getting another rack set up to seperate everything thats in a shared tub.

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This^^.
I would refrain from pairing. Not only do you need a new rack for your adults. You would need a hatching rack. And incubator. If your ambition is to berrd wait until you have the proper equipment and set up for handling multiple hatchlings. By then your girls should be ready

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[JodanOrNoDan]

In my experience the age of the female has far more to do with the ability to get pregnant than the weight does. I have had plenty of females lock in their second winter put none of them have every laid regardless of size. Unless they are in their third winter odds are you will get nothing. Snakes of that size tell me they are young. The majority of my females are well above 1000 grams at a year.

[RBP]

Thanks very much for the replies. To clarify, she is 2 1/2 years old (same age as my girls that are 1400-1700g), because she went off food at 800g for a while. Eats great now though. I have a hatchling rack already that these 7 were in when they were smaller and I'm getting a second TGR FB70-5 this month. The couple has separated this morning and I'm setting up the old hatchling rack to temporarily move he male and smallest female to tubs there, while I await the new adult rack. I don't have an incubator yet because I had no need for it, but that will be built soon just in case.

I learned an important lesson about trusting tub dividers and underestimating the sex drive of a little male ball python! I'm going to make sure she is fed well in case the one lock produces eggs, but I assume she will likely just absorb the follicles.