Wondering just where to begin?

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Originally Posted by Riv

Hello, im a freshie over here, just made my account this evening XD but I figured I might as well go ahead and dive in and ask some questions. Let me apologize in advance for how long winded this post is going to be. Also it is a broad array of questions "centered" around breeding, but im not sure if it qualifies one hundred percent for this forum, so my apologies if I indeed misplaced this thread.

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First of all welcome to the site and no worries about the questions thats what we're here for.

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1)My first question is about probing. I know how to genericly sex ball pythons by looking at the length and curvature of the anal spurs as well as the overall size and thickness of tails, but ive also read that these methods are not exact or always accurate, probing being the only sure way. But I dont know exactly where to begin learning to probe. Ive seen a few videos explaining the process but Im not very comfortable with the possibility that I could hurt my little guy even accidentally because I may have been improperly shown. Where would I go to learn the proper technique?

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Ok first of all the length or the tail and spurs is in no way related to sex in ball pythons.. Probing to me is a goo way to verify the sex after it has been popped but I wont probe the animal to establish sex. I'd rather see or not see hemipene's than probe.. you have years to learn so find someone at a show or your local vet to show you how to properly do it..

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2)Incubators. I've seen a lot of people like to make their own, people make entire rooms into incubators, and ive seen these little pods that some websites sell claiming that all I have to do is get the vermiculite wet it down and plug it in. I was hoping you guys could clarify the best or most safe method for me. I just want to make sure im taking all the necessary precautions to ensure the hatching goes as well as possible.

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Incubators can be as simple as a 55gal igloo cooler or as complex as a whole room..again you have some time and the size incubator is going to depend on how many clutches you're going to produce..

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3) I will more than likely be using rubber maids for the new hatchlings, because enclosures are expensive and more difficult to clean in higher numbers. The heat source is my biggest concern. My ball python now has an overhead heat lamp, but rubber maids dont have that convenient screen lid. Are heat pads safe to use with these? Id heard that heat pads can burn your snake when used with a normal tank, much less a plastic tub with a little substrate.

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Build you a rack with heat tape and a good thermostat. It is the simplest and best way to keep multiple animals in one area..

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4)My fiance and I have had quite a bit of debate over what kind of snake to use right off the bat. He is in favor of using a Female Spider Ball with our normal Pakul, because we would immediately get a 50% chance of getting spider ball babies. But Im more inclined to get two yellow bellies, and attempt to breed Ivory ball pythons and simply not use Pakul for breeding. Or as another option Buy a super Mojave, and breed that with a russo, or something else that will wind up a blue eyed luec. Granted we are trying not to bite off more than we can chew, and my fiance would take the route that requires less money every time. Would I be better off attempting to breed something simple like a spider ball as a starting point?

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This is going to be a two part answer.. first of all pick what you like remember you're the one feeding, cleaning, watering, getting bit by pooped on and kissed at by this thing not anyone else so at the end of the day you have to want to look at it..get something you're going to enjoy growing up for the next 2-3 years..

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and my fiance would take the route that requires less money every time. Would I be better off attempting to breed something simple like a spider ball as a starting point?

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Reconsider breeding then..there is nothing wrong with just have a few animals you like and keeping them as pets..Because I can tell you it isn't cheap/easy to breed these animal there is loads to consider money wise even with just one clutch. Take some time you have it and really plan for your venture..

Best of luck and P.S. if it was me and I was having to pick one snake to keep or breed.. Spider ;) Crazy color pattern and the best of the wow factor White sides.. :D


Thank you very much for reading my ramblings if you made it this far haha. I appreciate any answers/feedback you give me = P[/QUOTE]

I would deff go with heat tape for heating I got my heat cable today it is so difficult to work with racks. I am either gonna be getting 3-4" heat tape or router a slot for the cable

Thank you so much for all the useful advice and helpful information guys. You've really been an incredible help = P

So, as of now the plan is the get a female spider next time I go to a snake show. While she and Pakul are growing up, we"re going to save up for a top notch incubator. We figure if we dont continue after our first clutch we can always come back and try again later, or if we really didnt enjoy it then sell it on creigslist or something.

We're absolutely going to build ourselves a rack with heat tape as the heat source. I found a really cool video on youtube showing how to build an irrigation system for a rack meant for mice and rats which I thought was a really effective idea. I havent looked into the process of breeding my own food yet but its definitely something I want to consider. Mice are expensive. Im just going to have to get used to the idea of killing the mouse before feeding myself =/ Im only used to frozen..

And just to clear things up when I said my fiance prefers to save money I didnt mean to imply that we would be skimping, or not taking care of the little buggers like we should. Just that he doesnt want to buy Snakes that cost any more than a few hundred dollars before we've made any money back at all.

I may not have had the experience of breeding yet, but every time I even read about it I get so friggin excited. Its going to be a long three years XDD

Freaky_Frog hit it on the head with his answer.

There is no cheap way out. Period. You won't make any money back on it with that budget at all. You'll lose money, but it should just be for the hobby and fun of it anyway. Not the money.

Popping/probing is the only way to sex a BP.

One thing most of the replies left out is the importance of using a thermostat to control the under belly heat. Which in itself is important. Be it flexwatt heat tape, or an under tank heater. It must be controlled by a quality thermostat to prevent burns.

Before you start your breeding venture though, please read the care sheet on this forum and make sure you have your current BP properly set up. If you're only using a light for heat for him, I'm sorry to say that you don't, and you're probably not ready to think about breeding and caring for fragile babies yet.

Welcome to the site and good luck.

dont save up for top notch incubator... hit up craigslist find a free broken standup freezer drive twenty mins pick it up gut it and buy a few feet of heat tape and make urself one.. save a few hundred dollars that u can turn around and put into some good quality snakes !!!!!

hi, probing is one of those things that you just gotta do to learn how. lobe up the right size probe and be ease. i personally am more afraid to pop.
if its gonna be a few years before the breeding starts, and your just a little bit handy, i would make my own incubator. including the thermostat, i might have 300$ in mine,, and its more than ill ever need.
enclosures,,,,,=== rubermaids/steralite, flexwatt, and a good praportional thermostat. there are some good DIY racks out there on youtube that will allow you to house 6 to 8 snakes comfortabaly for around 100$.
you mentioned breeding something simple,,, they all breed the same, but remember, you get out what you put in. also familiarise yourself with punat squares (sp?), some of those "dream snakes" only come in about a 1 in 16 chance. know genetics!!!! good luck!
spooky
ps,, ill try to post a pic of my DIY incubator. forget that,, pics seems too hard. why cant thee be a copy past type thing for pics?? a pic does say a thousand words???????????????????