Qs on WC females and rack types.

[here2learn]

I have two questions pertaining to breeding;

First one is, I either saw on Ball Python Breeding DVD or read somewhere that "most" WC female will not produce in captivity. I'd like to know more about this and if WC includes the CH, farmed etc.

Next question is about racks. I'd love to have open air freedom breeders but, due to their higher price I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I was wondering what kind of sucesses were being had using the drawer system racks with sealed tops on vent holes poked in the tubs.

Thanks
Matthew

[tmlowe5704]

I have two questions pertaining to breeding;

First one is, I either saw on Ball Python Breeding DVD or read somewhere that "most" WC female will not produce in captivity. I'd like to know more about this and if WC includes the CH, farmed etc.

Next question is about racks. I'd love to have open air freedom breeders but, due to their higher price I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I was wondering what kind of sucesses were being had using the drawer system racks with sealed tops on vent holes poked in the tubs.

Thanks
Matthew

Most people are using that method and it works great. I am about to start making mine this weekend hopefully.

[rabernet]

First one is, I either saw on Ball Python Breeding DVD or read somewhere that "most" WC female will not produce in captivity. I'd like to know more about this and if WC includes the CH, farmed etc.

Next question is about racks. I'd love to have open air freedom breeders but, due to their higher price I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I was wondering what kind of sucesses were being had using the drawer system racks with sealed tops on vent holes poked in the tubs.

Thanks
Matthew

I believe in regards to WC females they are referring to adult females captured in the wild that may or may not be gravid (they sometimes will even sell them gravid). These are animals that have grown up in the wild and do not adjust well to captivity.

Most of my females are CH babies and do just fine (as far as eating and growing).

I am using the five drawer rack from the elite series here: http://www.herpenclosures.com and also have the optional divider for each tub to house 10 juvenile snakes. I will be purchasing a second in Jan or Feb to give each snake a full tub and hopefully also purchasing a hatchling rack from him too. Until I can purchase Freedom Breeder, this will be my rack vendor of choice.

[hoo-t]

I have two questions pertaining to breeding;

First one is, I either saw on Ball Python Breeding DVD or read somewhere that "most" WC female will not produce in captivity. I'd like to know more about this and if WC includes the CH, farmed etc.

Thanks
Matthew

I think a better word than "most" would be "some". If you think about all the bp morphs available now, realize that "most" of the originals were WC. When bps are WC as adults, they can have problems acclimating to life in captivity, and not breed. WC definitely does NOT include CH or farmed. The main thing to watch for on WC or CH either one is internal and external parasites and other illnesses. Once CH are healthy, they are fine. But, of course, you don't know anything about their parentage.

Steve

edit - Beat me to it, Robin!!!

[rabernet]

edit - Beat me to it, Robin!!!

I'm fast like that!

[TekWarren]

I do not have any experience with open air rack systems so feel free to tell me if I'm wrong or correct my assumptions:

To me it would seem that an open air system would require careful maintenence as you would have a whole lot more variables in maintaining temp and humidity in a large room rather than just on a per tub basis. At the same I guess if you have the equipment and the room is setup properly maybe it would be more efficient to go open air...but you better have some darn good environmental controls and a backup system.

Or am I way off?

[Adam_Wysocki]

If you think about all the bp morphs available now, realize that "most" of the originals were WC.

And most of those morphs were founded by males that are typically great breeders when collected from the wild and brought into captivity ... there are some very cool mutations sitting in breeders racks for years now that have yet to be reproduced because they are WC females that won't breed.

CH/Farmed babies that are raised in captivity do fine as breeders once they become sexually mature.

-adam

[Adam_Wysocki]

I do not have any experience with open air rack systems so feel free to tell me if I'm wrong or correct my assumptions:

To me it would seem that an open air system would require careful maintenence as you would have a whole lot more variables in maintaining temp and humidity in a large room rather than just on a per tub basis. At the same I guess if you have the equipment and the room is setup properly maybe it would be more efficient to go open air...but you better have some darn good environmental controls and a backup system.

Or am I way off?

It's really not as hard as you make it sound ... Once you start keeping ball pythons in any type of serious numbers you'll most likely have a room or rooms dedicted to those animals anyway.

I've used a combination of open air racks and closed wooden/plastic racks for years and I can say with absolute certaintly that the snakes that I keep in open air racks feed, breed, and grow better than the snakes that I keep in closed racks ... but that's just what works for me ... there are many ways to successfully keep these animals.

-adam