Is it just that some ball pythons are incapable of breeding?

Hey everyone! As I was browsing around looking for my first ball python, I remember seeing "PROVEN BREEDER" or something like it pretty often. I'm curious, are some ball pythons incapable of producing offspring?

OWAL lists some good information about single-gene problems and genes that do not mix well. There are only a couple of genes that present fertility issues - the most problematic is the Desert gene, as females appear not to be able to lay any viable eggs. Caramels (previously called Caramel Albinos) sometimes lay high ratios of slugs to viable eggs.

When you see the "Proven Breeder" tag on an animal for sale, it is a sign to the buyer that 1) the animal is of breeding size, and 2) the animal has successfully produced viable offspring previously, which many breeder-buyers find desirable, since an unproven (virgin) animal is always a gamble - snakes gonna snake, they do not always do what we want them to do. :)

There is always a chance a female won't be ready when at weight, even if 3,4, 5+ years old. Its possible that a female may never lay.

A proven breeder is sold knowing she has laid before, so you should be able to have her lay again.

Some males are also just not interested in breeding.

Just as in people, some just don't get it done.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dormouse

Hey everyone! As I was browsing around looking for my first ball python, I remember seeing "PROVEN BREEDER" or something like it pretty often. I'm curious, are some ball pythons incapable of producing offspring?

---

Seeing the term proven breeder has to do with proven breeder versus virgin, an animal that has already laid versus one that hasn't.

Pricing wise they will commend a higher price than an hatchling or virgin adult.

Whether proven or not there are still no guarantee.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

Seeing the term proven breeder has to do with proven breeder versus virgin.

---

That is completely wrong! They can lock,which eliminates the term "virgin",yet not produce. They are no longer 'virgins,nor are they proven.;)

Next thing you know,we'll be calling all women virgins, because they don't have kids.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dormouse

Hey everyone! As I was browsing around looking for my first ball python, I remember seeing "PROVEN BREEDER" or something like it pretty often. I'm curious, are some ball pythons incapable of producing offspring?

---

I asked this same question when getting into breeding. The amount of "proven breeder" advertisement I saw made me wonder if snakes were hard to breed, or something. I'd agree that SOME aren't interested in breeding but I don't think that's very common.