Signs for when to pair?

I have a couple of girls entering their second winter. One I don't plan to breed this year since she isn't the best eater and is hovering around that 1000-1100g mark and 4' long, maybe next year, and I think she is a bit older than I think, but I'm being conservative with her age. She was 800g when I got her in March this year. But my other girl is a good 1200g empty, 40" long, and is a voracious eater. I was feeding 1 45g rat per week and am just now bumping her up to two for 90g per week of intake. At the rate she's going she should hit that 1500g mark by about Christmas time to end of January. I hope I didn't jinx her eating habits, though any time you go near or open her lid she S's up ready for a food strike, even a couple hours after being fed.

What I'm curious about is what signs to look for when it's time to pair the male with the females, or female to the male. Can you pair them up at any time or is there a specific window? That's the part that is confusing me at the moment.

I don't plan to pair up now, but I just want to be prepared for when the time comes.

Thanks,
Kyle


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A lot of people stick to a schedule, but ball pythons can/will breed year round. She will ovulate when she sees fit to. ;)

At the point she's at now. If I see her ovulate, which who knows when that'll be. Would it be safe to pair her up at this point in time? Then feed heavy, or would it be better to pass up that ovulation and wait out another when she's more hefty?

Kyle


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The ball python reproductive cycle is not like a mammal's reproductive cycle. Once this article clears a lot of things up for you, let us know if you have more questions. Happy reading!

http://ballpython.ca/breeding/

Once she ovulates it's pretty much too late to pair her. If she's in the 1200 and looking good I'd just start pairing.

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Originally Posted by Kroberts10

At the point she's at now. If I see her ovulate, which who knows when that'll be. Would it be safe to pair her up at this point in time? Then feed heavy, or would it be better to pass up that ovulation and wait out another when she's more hefty?

Kyle


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Once she ovulated she is done there is no point in pairing her she will lay eggs (does not mean all eggs will be fertile however.)

The count down for eggs will start and she will lay eggs on average 45 days later.

You can offer food but with the majority of females food will be refused, in the past 10 years out of all my females being paired only 1 ate after ovulation and she did it only one season.

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Originally Posted by piedlover79

Once she ovulates it's pretty much too late to pair her. If she's in the 1200 and looking good I'd just start pairing.

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That's a little confusing if you don't know how BPs reproduce.

OP - it'd be too late to pair at that time because if she's ovulating, she's already been paired and is for sure going to be giving you a clutch in a month and a half or so. Check out the article I linked to above.

That article definitely clarified a few things. Thanks. I definitely misunderstood when and what ovulation was. I was thinking it was when they would produce egg follicles in their reproductive tract prior to being bred, that would just absorb back into the body if they weren't fertilized. I definitely misunderstood that.

Kyle


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Originally Posted by Kroberts10

That article definitely clarified a few things. Thanks. I definitely misunderstood when and what ovulation was. I was thinking it was when they would produce egg follicles in their reproductive tract prior to being bred, that would just absorb back into the body if they weren't fertilized. I definitely misunderstood that.

Kyle


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:gj: Exactly. :D

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

The ball python reproductive cycle is not like a mammal's reproductive cycle. Once this article clears a lot of things up for you, let us know if you have more questions. Happy reading!

http://ballpython.ca/breeding/

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Excellent article. Just an EGGCELENT freaking article!


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