Three-year-old male ball python that won't breed.... Any suggestions?
I think my three-year-old male albino ball python is a dud when it comes to breeding. I was hoping to breed him to both my albino female and my spider het albino female this season, but I keep re-introducing him to them, and he just doesn't seem to be interested.
I know for sure that the albino female is ready, because I put my yearling killer bee in with her, and he bred her right away. Then I put my yearling lemon blast in with her too, and he did the same. Even if I leave the albino male in with her when one of the other boys is there, the competition doesn't seem to phase him. The albino just doesn't show any interest at all.
I'm fine with getting codom morphs 100% het albino from the albino girl, but I really had my heart set on producing albino spiders with from the spider het albino female, and I don't want to put her with any other type of male and ruin my chances of that. He's the only albino male I have, though.
The albino male is fasting like the others right now and certainly not too fat. He is otherwise active and seems to be healthy. I've probed him, and he's definitely male. At three years old he certainly should be old enough..... What's the deal? Does anyone have any suggestions?
Re: Three-year-old male ball python that won't breed.... Any suggestions?
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Originally Posted by
sho220
Other than the usual tricks I'm not sure there's much you can do. Instead of putting him in with another male, put an old shed from another male in with him and the female and leave them alone. You could also try popping another male you have and rubbing the sperm plugs on the females back. Also make sure you pair them up during weather fronts. You could also try misting them once a day. Maybe put a little Barry White on...but other than that, not sure what you can do other than continue introducing them...and hope for the best!
Thanks! I'll have to try the skin shed thing next time I get one. I guess that would be less intimidating than having an a real snake in there to compete with. The sperm plug idea sounds simple enough. I hadn't heard of that one. And Barry White..... now that just do the trick! ;)
Re: Three-year-old male ball python that won't breed.... Any suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wendhend
Thanks! I'll have to try the skin shed thing next time I get one. I guess that would be less intimidating than having an a real snake in there to compete with. The sperm plug idea sounds simple enough. I hadn't heard of that one. And Barry White..... now that just do the trick! ;)
Yeah...they're all based on getting the scent of another male in there...the shed and sperm plug trick does seem to be a little less intimidating than having another male in there...and definitely pair them up during weather fronts. That's a sure thing most of the time...:gj:
Re: Three-year-old male ball python that won't breed.... Any suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Xotik
You've probably already checked - but it happened to me. I'd check his gender. About two weeks ago I found out my largest female was in fact a large male and I had been pairing him with my other male for a month.
I'd just check genders just to be abbbbsoluteeeely sure. Otherwise - I x2 the shedding thing, as well as the plugs idea. You may have better luck that way.
Something someone else did as well, was to breed one pair in a tub with papertowel bedding in it, and when they were done, moved their paper towels into a tub with a male who wasn't breeding. Usually works.
Hot/Cold fronts also do WONDERS. Pairing up in a snow/thunder/downpour seems to work exceptionally well - so I've heard.
I have already probed him, and he definitely probes male. And I popped him and got sperm plugs. It's been so nice where I live, but I see they are predicting rain and snow showers here this coming Tuesday. So maybe I will try again then with some of the other tricks in place and see what happens.
Re: Three-year-old male ball python that won't breed.... Any suggestions?
Barry White played softly at night.
LOL
Maybe put the shed of another male in the breeding cage.
Re: Three-year-old male ball python that won't breed.... Any suggestions?
Okay, tonight is THE night the magic is supposed to happen. We have a weather front and it is currenly snowing as of this evening. I went into my other males' rack bins, collected little bits of skin shed I found and soaked them in water, which I spritzed on the albino female and in her bin before I introduced the male. I also collected the sperm plugs from five other males and rubbed them on her back and scattered what was left of them in her bin. Then I placed the albino male in with her. I am starting with the albino female because I know for sure she is ready. I am at work tonight, so I won't be able to watch to see if he is acting interested..... but I am really hoping to come home in the morning to find them locked up. Wish me luck!