Pairing female less then 1500g to get her on food

Hello, I was watching a video made by a reputable breeder. During the video, something caught my ear. He stated he has paired an 1100 gram female and his reasoning was to get her back on feed. His theory was that if she was paired up, she would realize she would need to start feeding again to get the fat reserves necessary for a healthy clutch. He then stated she ended up putting on a bunch of weight, laid a healthy clutch, and ended up being about 1400g after laying. Has anyone else tried this? Will pairing/breeding stimulate a feeding frenzy? I have always read that most females will go off food when breeding. Seems risky health wise for the snake if you pair her and she doesn't go back on feed, especially if she doesn't have the weight and/or body condition. I have a female that's about 1350 grams that hasn't eaten for about 4 weeks. Wanted to try it out but also don't want to jeopardize my snakes health.

4 weeks is nothing. I wouldn’t worry about it unless the animal’s body condition begins to deteriorate.


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Four weeks is nothing. They can go a year without food at that size assuming the animal is healthy.

Simply reduce the frequency of how often you offer. Only offer every 2-3 weeks.

As long as there's no drastic weight loss there's nothing to worry about.

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

Four weeks is nothing. They can go a year without food at that size assuming the animal is healthy.

Simply reduce the frequency of how often you offer. Only offer every 2-3 weeks.

As long as there's no drastic weight loss there's nothing to worry about.

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Thanks for the reply. I know 4 weeks isn't a long time when it comes to these animals going off food. What im trying to ask is if its a good idea to pair her at 1350g in hopes that she starts pounding down some rats to put on the fat reserves for a clutch. Obviously we want to wait for the weight and body condition before pairing but this breeder said pairing before she hits that prime weight and body condition could help stimulate her feeding response and by the time she ovulates, she has the weight and body condition to lay.

Do you have breeding experience?

No, this is my first year. Just didn't know if this was a common practice when it comes to breeding ball pythons.

I honestly don't know. I'm thinking if it were my animal I'd be inclined to stick to basics. I've been keeping snakes for 15+ years and am now just considering my first breeding project for a few years down the road.

Just food for thought... The BP market is already ridiculously over saturated. There are over 16,000 BPs available right now on morphmarket.

As a first time breeder it will likely be difficult to move the babies, so be prepared to keep all or the vast majority for at least a while.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just sharing my two cents.

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

I'm not trying to discourage you, just sharing my two cents.

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I think BP breeding should be highly discouraged. It's not a science project, you're creating animals that live 20-30 years and usually have at least 4-6 eggs. Even most dogs don't live that long and look how many are dumped or wait to be adopted.

With that said, I personally wouldn't do it. A breeder might have their incentive and experience to do so, but there's much less invasive way to get your BP to eat from a keeper's point of view.

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Just food for thought... The BP market is already ridiculously over saturated. There are over 16,000 BPs available right now on morphmarket.

As a first time breeder it will likely be difficult to move the babies, so be prepared to keep all or the vast majority for at least a while.

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I’ve been told that too, but considering this is also my first year breeding, I haven’t had much trouble selling my babies and having people who are interested in them. There’s always new people getting into the hobby, adding new breeding stock to their collection, or just wanting a pet (and then they end up falling down the rabbit hole [emoji23])
I think the biggest thing to focus on is building an online presence and a name for yourself, especially on Facebook and Instagram. I try to post daily, sometimes every other day or so.


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Originally Posted by trnreptiles

I’ve been told that too, but considering this is also my first year breeding, I haven’t had much trouble selling my babies and having people who are interested in them. There’s always new people getting into the hobby, adding new breeding stock to their collection, or just wanting a pet (and then they end up falling down the rabbit hole [emoji23])
I think the biggest thing to focus on is building an online presence and a name for yourself, especially on Facebook and Instagram. I try to post daily, sometimes every other day or so.


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Yes, just like puppies or kittens, baby snakes are very exciting and cute. How many of those babies are in the same home and thriving a year later? 2 years later? 5? I took in a rescue last year that is likely only a year old and was near death from neglect and poor care. He's not an exception. How many people you know with hatchlings and how many with 20 year old snakes? How many homes do some of these breeders and pets get flipped through? How long do you think most survive in the care of your average pet owner? Selling them isn't the issue, it's where they end up long term.

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

Yes, just like puppies or kittens, baby snakes are very exciting and cute. How many of those babies are in the same home and thriving a year later? 2 years later? 5? I took in a rescue last year that is likely only a year old and was near death from neglect and poor care. He's not an exception. How many people you know with hatchlings and how many with 20 year old snakes? How many homes do some of these breeders and pets get flipped through? How long do you think most survive in the care of your average pet owner? Selling them isn't the issue, it's where they end up long term.

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You make an excellent point. As a breeder, it’s our duty to make sure that the babies are going to good homes. I always ask potential buyers what their setups are like, what research they’ve done, what experiences they have... it helps me get a better picture so I know if I think they’ll take good care of the snake or not.
I also make it clear that I’m always available for assistance, in case there is an issue.

One of my females was a rescue that came from an abandonment case, but she’s doing great now and is healthy as can be.
I also had a lesser male come to me that had burn/bite injuries on his body, that I had to care for until he shed and healed. I found him a good home once I knew he was healthy.

I know a local breeder who had an older ball python in his late teens, though the snake unfortunately died from an RI. He was being treated of course but wasn’t strong enough to fight it. I plan to keep most of my snakes until they pass on from old age, they’re my babies.

I wouldn’t sell to someone that gave me bad vibes about their care. I do care about my babies. Breeders who just sell to the first person who offers them money don’t have very good business practices, imo.


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My advice for many reasons is do not pair. What is the snake's age? History? What if you pair, she becomes gravid, lays, and then struggles to return to eating? Even if you arificially incubate the eggs, there is no guarantee she will start eating again soon. If she starts eating after being paired, those nutrients are maybe not going to strengthen her body (your initial reasoning for pairing.) Also, if you make the choice to suddenly begin breeding, what if you change your mind about a pairing later on? If she does not produce, she may retain the sperm and potentially complicate the outcomes of future pairings. Every snake responds to breeding differently, and until you know your snakes patterns and habits well without that variable, don't complicate things for yourself. Sometimes snake care can be a lot like watching paint dry, so get a second hobby and strap in for the long haul...

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Also, a snake will not starve to death from a lack of breeding.