some questions I can't find answers to.... sorry!

Hey guys, so I know this info is on this site SOMEWHERE, but I can't seem to find it all in one convient place.....
can anyone help me out!! I have about 2 years before my snakes are ready so I have time to understand but I just want to know everything I can before I venture into this!

sooooo here's my questions.
1. size of female should be larger then 1800g correct?
2. size of male???
3. I have read info onthis but still don't understand the pre-breeding steps/time line, can someone lay this out for me?
(ex - Oct, lower temps/stop offering food, Nov - Jan allow snakes to breed.... I just haven't quite figured all that out)
4. once snakes have bred, how long till eggs are laid?
5. once eggs are laid and in the egg tub in incubator, how long till they hatch?

sorry I know these answers are on here somewhere but I keep finding bits and pieces of what I need....

1. Many people start at 1500 grams but 1800 is safer
2. Males should be about 700 grams or 1.5 lbs
3. Personally i havent lowered any temps or stopped feedings and i know many other breeders dont either. Starting in november start introducing the snakes. About 3 days in for a male and then 4 off. Try to feed both during this time period and monitor any weight loss if the stop eating. Do this several times or until ovulation.
4. Its hard to say because sperm can be retained for months before fertilization. Once this takes ovulation occurs which lasts for about a day or two. Three weeks later they will go into a prelay shed. About 30-40 days after the shed the female will lay the eggs.
5.eggs generally hatch in 52-60 days depending on incubation temps, humidity and if any power outages occurred.

Hopefully this helps


Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy snakes and that's pretty close

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Originally Posted by Salem

Hey guys, so I know this info is on this site SOMEWHERE, but I can't seem to find it all in one convient place.....
can anyone help me out!! I have about 2 years before my snakes are ready so I have time to understand but I just want to know everything I can before I venture into this!

sooooo here's my questions.
1. size of female should be larger then 1800g correct?
2. size of male???
3. I have read info onthis but still don't understand the pre-breeding steps/time line, can someone lay this out for me?
(ex - Oct, lower temps/stop offering food, Nov - Jan allow snakes to breed.... I just haven't quite figured all that out)
4. once snakes have bred, how long till eggs are laid?
5. once eggs are laid and in the egg tub in incubator, how long till they hatch?

sorry I know these answers are on here somewhere but I keep finding bits and pieces of what I need....

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1. Many folks breed as low as 1200g if the female looks in good condition. By the time she ovulates usually she will hit that 1500-1800g. However, first time breeders should probably shoot for the 1500g mark.
2. Males I would prefer to be 700g+, there are many cases of males dieing from overbreeding. You can still kill a 1200g+ male though if you dont know what your doing.
3. Some folks drop temps, others dont. You will have to find out what works for your animals.
4. Its better to go by ovulations, usually 45 days after ovy they will lay.
5. 50-65 days depending on heat and whether you cut or not.

1500 grams for a young female, but 1200 for an older female that has already laid quite a few clutches. I personally wouldn't do a male under 500grams, and the only way I'd do 500 is if he's producing plugs. I like to wait around the 600 range just as preference. As far as lowering temperatures, you're not required to and most people don't although some people do it.

The laying of eggs can vary because of the ability to retain sperm, so I won't be the one to give you a date on that and then you get mad at me :P. Also just because you visually see a lock doesn't mean you should expect babies.

that helps a lot! thanks guys!

also, lets say I start pairing Dec 1st. I heard you are supposed to leave them together for a couple days, then remove male. how many times do you do this? what is the time frame for that?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salem

that helps a lot! thanks guys!

also, lets say I start pairing Dec 1st. I heard you are supposed to leave them together for a couple days, then remove male. how many times do you do this? what is the time frame for that?

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If you've properly quarantined everything, then most people do a 3 day in, 3 days out. I on the other hand will most likely do 3 days in, 4 days out because it completes a week cycle.

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Originally Posted by Neal

If you've properly quarantined everything, then most people do a 3 day in, 3 days out. I on the other hand will most likely do 3 days in, 4 days out because it completes a week cycle.

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thanks, how many times do you do this? like for 3 weeks? 4 weeks?

i usually keep this going until i see that the female has ovulated or is going to lay eggs. i always want to make sure that the male has done his job and ill get eggs

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yamitaifu

i usually keep this going until i see that the female has ovulated or is going to lay eggs. i always want to make sure that the male has done his job and ill get eggs

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i know all snakes are different, but is that usually a month? or more? I am not real sure on the ovulation thing either, I am used to dogs... they are easier to breed.... lol
signs of ovulation are looking like they had a large meal or full of eggs right?

its hard to give a specific time period that it could take for fertilization to take place. i would keep introducing until either ovulation or if i miss it then for the female to act like she has eggs

during ovulation the lower 2/3 of their body looks like they just ate a large meal. ovulation usually only lasts a day or two. in some snakes its very obvious but in others its easy to miss.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salem

i know all snakes are different, but is that usually a month? or more? I am not real sure on the ovulation thing either, I am used to dogs... they are easier to breed.... lol
signs of ovulation are looking like they had a large meal or full of eggs right?

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You will know the OVY if you see it, it will look like they swallowed a couple beer cans.

Each female only needs a lock once every 3-4 weeks. If your male is only going to one girl then there is no need to pair them every week.

Using the search function on the site as well as reading all the stickies will really help you.

Good luck to you!

you guys have been great! I think I got it and I just wanna post this to make sure the info I am understanding is correct and maybe can help out someone else learning just like I am !

**Disclaimer - this is not my info, it is info I have gathered from others on this site, other sites and books/magazines to help me have a successful first breeding season, hopefully next year!! **

Basics
Female – 1800g, male - at least 700g.
your choice to cool down or not, but can increase humidity Nov, Dec, and Jan

1. Start pairing - Nov 1
* offer food weekly regardless (both males and females) offer a smaller size prey than normal.
* pair them for 3 days (unless I visually see a lock), then separate the pair for 4 days to allow for feeding and digesting
* Usually you will see the male's tail underneath the female's tail and curled - this is a lock

2. Stop pairing
* When you notice ovulation. (Ovulation looks like ate large rat or full of eggs) Ovulation only lasts for about a day or two.

3. Pre-lay shed
* Should be 16-18 days after noticing ovulation

4. Eggs laid
*26-32 days after the shed

5. Eggs Hatch
* 54-60 days after laid

once laid - place eggs in egg tub inside my Homemade Incubator which I am going to use a Cooler, with heat tape on the bottom plugged into thermostat, then water bottles on top of heat tape and egg tub on top of that.

**Put Egg tub in incubator and set probe temp at 88.5. probe in incubator, not in the egg tub
**While eggs in tub, air them out by removing the lid and lifting a corner of the cling wrap about every 3 to 5 days. Once they hit day 45, remove the cling wrap all together and just pop the lid every day for a few seconds to air them (you'll see a lot more condensation developing at this point as they approach their hatching date).

once they hatch:
1. Let hatchlings stay in egg tub until they have soaked up their yolks.
2. Rinse all hatchlings with warm water to remove goo.
3. Leave all hatchlings together in clean tub until they have all shed, usually 5-14 days.
4. As they shed, separate, weigh, and sex each hatchling and place in individual tubs with hide and water dish.
5. Allow a few days to get used to being alone, then offer live mouse hopper.

I hope this is correct, if anything is wrong or missing, can someone let me know!!!

thanks all, I really appreciate it!!!

I always recommend that people who are new to breeding and what not, not to cool. The risk for ri is too great if everything isnt just right.

Also, while experienced breeders breed fems at 1200+ and males at 500+ a new breeder may want to start them around 1500 for fems and 700 for males. Just in case the male goes off feed. But tye females are usually good to go if they are 1200 and 2 years old. By the time they OVY they will be around 1800.

As for hatchlings, mine go straight to their own tubs on moist paper towels. They are offered rat pinks after their first shed (better to get them on rats right away IMO). If they dont take a rat for their first 2 feedings I will try a mouse. I usually wait until after they shed to sex them, but I know many people sex right out of the egg.

Everything here looks good. Once you start to breed youll find out what works best for you. One of the best books i have read is "the complete ball python" by Kevin McCurley. Has everything from breeding to husbandry. Great book. If you have any more questions later in feel free to PM me. Wish you the best of luck!


Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy snakes and that's pretty close