Some breeding season thoughts from the 8 Ball!

Hey Everyone,

Breeding season is upon us and I thought I’d share some pointers and words of encouragement to help ensure everyones breeding success. These are things that I practice and are just helpful little nuggets that I’ve either learned the hard way over the years. I've also included some positive thoughts for all of my Bp.Net friends that will be breeding their animals this season!

1. Re-sex all of your snakes … no matter where you got them from … even if you’ve sexed them yourself in the past … it doesn’t hurt to double check everything. This tip can help save intense frustration … trust me!!!

2. Give all of your animals a good once over … check their overall health and body weight … make sure that their vents are clean and dry, that their mouths show no signs of RI, and that they have adequate body weight for the breeding season.

3. Check to make sure none of your potential breeders are overweight … if they are, consider cutting their food back a little … an animal with an “athletic” build as opposed to a “heavy” build will make a better breeder for you.

4. Double check your mechanicals!! Take the time to test all of your thermometers, thermostats, night drops, timers, etc … sometimes, switches that only flip in the middle of the night and malfunction can go a long while without being noticed. Save yourself some frustration and do a complete “systems check” early on.

5. Give those raise ups some more room! … Since some animals tend to go off feed while they’re breeding and switching an animal into a larger cage can cause it to go off feed for a while, breeding season is the perfect time to move those raise up girls into more spacious tubs. You can kill two birds with one stone!!

6. Make a plan and write it down! … Good record keeping can not only keep your head on straight during the breeding season, but if can be a useful tool in the years ahead.

7. Take notes! … Record everything that you see … sheds, lock ups, positions of pairs in the tubs, etc, etc … especially anything that looks “odd” … what may not make sense to you when you’re just getting started might be extremely helpful as a learning tool once you get some more experience under your belt.

8. Ask questions!! … ask, ask, ask … talk, talk, talk … there is no one “right way” to do anything, so talk to as many people as you can that have your level of experience, more experience than you, and even less experience than you … find out how they do things, what they’ve done that works well, and what they’ve tried that didn’t work well for them. It will only help you find your own “style” in the end.

9. Relax! … As my friend Mic says … “You can’t always get what you want … but if you try sometimes, you just might find … you get what you need!” … Soooo true when it comes to breeding … it never works out perfect, so hope for the best and be excited and grateful for what you do get!

10. Most of all …. HAVE FUN! … That’s what this is all about!

Feel free to jump in with your tips, tricks, hints, or words of encouragment that might help someone to see those awesome little ball python heads popping out of eggs this spring/summer!

-adam

thats awesome Adam, great list!! Im sure it will be helpful to many of the members here

Good luck everyone!!!

awesome dude.....you so frickin rock

:pinkele::banana::pinkele::fest::giggle::carrot::carouse::winner::number1:
:bounce::w00t::headbang:

It begins!!!

Woohoooooooooo!!!!

thanks adam, great pointers.

Excellent post Wysocki!

:rockon:


itwy ...

Great words of wisdom Adam :)

Thanks for sharing

Marc

STICKY WORTHY! (i just say that cuz i wanna have it available to me if/when i decide to breed!;) )

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Originally Posted by python.princess

STICKY WORTHY!

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I agree :gj:

Very sticky worthy! :D

Don't for get guys you no longer need a sticky to save thread you can add a thread to your favorites and access it any time you want. You do this by clicking the "Thread tools" at the top of the thread and then clicking "Add Thread to Favorites".

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

Don't for get guys you no longer need a sticky to save thread you can add a thread to your favorites and access it any time you want. You do this by clicking the "Thread tools" at the top of the thread and then clicking "Add Thread to Favorites".

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But wouldn't it be a good idea to have it as a sticky for future members so they can find it easily?

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

9. Relax! … As my friend Mic says … “You can’t always get what you want … but if you try sometimes, you just might find … you get what you need!” … Soooo true when it comes to breeding … it never works out perfect, so hope for the best and be excited and grateful for what you do get!
-adam

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:rofl: Hilarious and so true. Thanks for these helpful tips Adam. As my friend Jim says, Yeah, c'mon Oh, yeah, ma Yeah, I'm a back door man

*You must spread some reputation points around before giving to Adam again.

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Originally Posted by PythonWallace

:rofl: Hilarious and so true. Thanks for these helpful tips Adam. As my friend Jim says, Yeah, c'mon Oh, yeah, ma Yeah, I'm a back door man

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actually i think its my buddy rob who says, "shake for me girl, i wanna be your back door man"...

Adam-

Great post!!!!

I love you...

Nice adam!

This will definetly be useful when i decide to breed...thanks adam!!

As a newbie to breeding.......Thanks Alot Adam. I can only aspire to be where you are some day.:cool:

'Tis stickied! GREAT post, Adam!! Thanks!!! :blowkiss:

Great post Adam! For me you could have added...

"don't worry and have blasted nightmares about your big arse female snakes smooshing your best little male snake" :rofl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by python.princess

STICKY WORTHY! (i just say that cuz i wanna have it available to me if/when i decide to breed!;) )

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You can also add it to your favorites, so that you can find it more easily - I just did! :D

Thanks Adam! You truly Rock!

Edit - Guess I should read all the way through - Ed already pointed out our cool new tool.

Great pearls of wisdom :) I especially like the mechanical part; people should def. run their incubator dry before egg-laying day..
Sweet.

Nice pointers......thanks man! :gj:

Mmmm....snake pr0n picture season...a very close second to pipping pictures season...=D

Good list Adam, the mechanicals part is definitely key. The day you get your first eggs should NOT be the first day you turn on your incubator. I think everyone eventually learns that lesson the hard way once.

Mark

Awesome advice!

"You must spread some rep...." You know the rest! :P

Great post Adam, thank you! *& Mic* ;)

Great list !!!!!!!!!
I will be adding a larger incubator this season , thanks for the reminder to do some test runs! It sucks to work so hard to lose eggs because you overlooked a minor detail.

Thanks for the advise.

:hijackd:
Excuse me, but I have a question..

When is the real breeding season for snakes (specifically balls)?
I mean, in the wild when do the breed, as I had assumed they bred after winter months after their hibernation like period and they laid their eggs in late spring and they hatched in mid summer.

Am I right or way off here? :]

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

:hijackd:
Excuse me, but I have a question..

When is the real breeding season for snakes (specifically balls)?
I mean, in the wild when do the breed, as I had assumed they bred after winter months after their hibernation like period and they laid their eggs in late spring and they hatched in mid summer.

Am I right or way off here? :]

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First of all, Ball Pythons come from a region in Africa that is very close to the equator. Therefore, there is no hibernation occuring. Most of the time, these snakes are breeding in the winter, and laying their eggs just prior to Spring, and hatching throughout Spring. Most females will seek cooler temperatures when their follicles are developing, and hence the winter breeding.

Also, many people believe that the breeding season has evolved to coincide with the rodent boom that occurs in late Spring. More food makes it easier for baby snakes to survive. And survival is instinctual in all species, meaning mom is doing what she can to ensure greater success with her offspring.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Hey Everyone,

Breeding season is upon us and I thought I’d share some pointers and words of encouragement to help ensure everyones breeding success. These are things that I practice and are just helpful little nuggets that I’ve either learned the hard way over the years. I've also included some positive thoughts for all of my Bp.Net friends that will be breeding their animals this season!

1. Re-sex all of your snakes … no matter where you got them from … even if you’ve sexed them yourself in the past … it doesn’t hurt to double check everything. This tip can help save intense frustration … trust me!!!

2. Give all of your animals a good once over … check their overall health and body weight … make sure that their vents are clean and dry, that their mouths show no signs of RI, and that they have adequate body weight for the breeding season.

3. Check to make sure none of your potential breeders are overweight … if they are, consider cutting their food back a little … an animal with an “athletic” build as opposed to a “heavy” build will make a better breeder for you.

4. Double check your mechanicals!! Take the time to test all of your thermometers, thermostats, night drops, timers, etc … sometimes, switches that only flip in the middle of the night and malfunction can go a long while without being noticed. Save yourself some frustration and do a complete “systems check” early on.

5. Give those raise ups some more room! … Since some animals tend to go off feed while they’re breeding and switching an animal into a larger cage can cause it to go off feed for a while, breeding season is the perfect time to move those raise up girls into more spacious tubs. You can kill two birds with one stone!!

6. Make a plan and write it down! … Good record keeping can not only keep your head on straight during the breeding season, but if can be a useful tool in the years ahead.

7. Take notes! … Record everything that you see … sheds, lock ups, positions of pairs in the tubs, etc, etc … especially anything that looks “odd” … what may not make sense to you when you’re just getting started might be extremely helpful as a learning tool once you get some more experience under your belt.

8. Ask questions!! … ask, ask, ask … talk, talk, talk … there is no one “right way” to do anything, so talk to as many people as you can that have your level of experience, more experience than you, and even less experience than you … find out how they do things, what they’ve done that works well, and what they’ve tried that didn’t work well for them. It will only help you find your own “style” in the end.

9. Relax! … As my friend Mic says … “You can’t always get what you want … but if you try sometimes, you just might find … you get what you need!” … Soooo true when it comes to breeding … it never works out perfect, so hope for the best and be excited and grateful for what you do get!

10. Most of all …. HAVE FUN! … That’s what this is all about!

Feel free to jump in with your tips, tricks, hints, or words of encouragment that might help someone to see those awesome little ball python heads popping out of eggs this spring/summer!

-adam

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Wow Adam of 8ball pythons is here!! Cool!

Thanks for the rundown. I'm hoping to breed in a few years, but I constantly give a look at what is being done differently to figure out how I want to handle it when it is my little ones turns.

Awesome advise and i cant wait to see what comes out this year as its my first year breeding ball pythons. Wish me luck!!

killer advice!!!!:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Hey Everyone,

Breeding season is upon us and I thought I’d share some pointers and words of encouragement to help ensure everyones breeding success. These are things that I practice and are just helpful little nuggets that I’ve either learned the hard way over the years. I've also included some positive thoughts for all of my Bp.Net friends that will be breeding their animals this season!

1. Re-sex all of your snakes … no matter where you got them from … even if you’ve sexed them yourself in the past … it doesn’t hurt to double check everything. This tip can help save intense frustration … trust me!!!

2. Give all of your animals a good once over … check their overall health and body weight … make sure that their vents are clean and dry, that their mouths show no signs of RI, and that they have adequate body weight for the breeding season.

3. Check to make sure none of your potential breeders are overweight … if they are, consider cutting their food back a little … an animal with an “athletic” build as opposed to a “heavy” build will make a better breeder for you.

4. Double check your mechanicals!! Take the time to test all of your thermometers, thermostats, night drops, timers, etc … sometimes, switches that only flip in the middle of the night and malfunction can go a long while without being noticed. Save yourself some frustration and do a complete “systems check” early on.

5. Give those raise ups some more room! … Since some animals tend to go off feed while they’re breeding and switching an animal into a larger cage can cause it to go off feed for a while, breeding season is the perfect time to move those raise up girls into more spacious tubs. You can kill two birds with one stone!!

6. Make a plan and write it down! … Good record keeping can not only keep your head on straight during the breeding season, but if can be a useful tool in the years ahead.

7. Take notes! … Record everything that you see … sheds, lock ups, positions of pairs in the tubs, etc, etc … especially anything that looks “odd” … what may not make sense to you when you’re just getting started might be extremely helpful as a learning tool once you get some more experience under your belt.

8. Ask questions!! … ask, ask, ask … talk, talk, talk … there is no one “right way” to do anything, so talk to as many people as you can that have your level of experience, more experience than you, and even less experience than you … find out how they do things, what they’ve done that works well, and what they’ve tried that didn’t work well for them. It will only help you find your own “style” in the end.

9. Relax! … As my friend Mic says … “You can’t always get what you want … but if you try sometimes, you just might find … you get what you need!” … Soooo true when it comes to breeding … it never works out perfect, so hope for the best and be excited and grateful for what you do get!

10. Most of all …. HAVE FUN! … That’s what this is all about!

Feel free to jump in with your tips, tricks, hints, or words of encouragment that might help someone to see those awesome little ball python heads popping out of eggs this spring/summer!

-adam

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A thousand thank yous!!!!! :banana:

There is always a debate on how much a female has to weigh before she is primo to breed. I read one thing it says this I read another it says that. My other question is, I would love to prove out one of my rescues but she is 12 yrs old, I believe she is a spotnose fire morph. I'd love to find out. Is 12 yrs old a safe age to breed? I'd love to hear what you guys have to say :banana:

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Originally Posted by Scaleyz

There is always a debate on how much a female has to weigh before she is primo to breed. I read one thing it says this I read another it says that. My other question is, I would love to prove out one of my rescues but she is 12 yrs old, I believe she is a spotnose fire morph. I'd love to find out. Is 12 yrs old a safe age to breed? I'd love to hear what you guys have to say :banana:

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Ball pythons can breed their entire lives.

This is great advice to anyone, especially to newer breeders like myself. 2011 was my first season and I asked a lot of questions. I got a lot of advice, and forums like this are a great source of info no matter what stage of the game you're in. Tip # 10 is my favorite though. You have to "HAVE FUN". Thanks and good luck to everyone this season.

This looks like something out of "Night of the Living Thread"!!:O

When do you start to lower your temps. I am about to at the end of this month.

Thanks, I always have to re sex my snakes.

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Originally Posted by pythonpaul

Thanks, I always have to re sex my snakes.

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huh??

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snakeg
When do you start to lower your temps. I am about to at the end of this month.

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Never :gj:

lol2007

what's with all the necromancy lately?

What is everyone's thought about temp drops to encourage breeding? Most everything I have read, states that temp drops are essential to successful breeding however, I have seen some posts on this site that say otherwise. Also what about seasons? My female spider is not quite up to size just yet but I think that she will be in the next couple months - should I wait until next 'season' or should I be ok to start introducing my male?

Thanks


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Sometimes they stop feeding as part of the breeding process. It's safer to wait until they are up to a good enough weight and body condition before introducing the male.

I don't cool for breeding so they tend to breed at different times of the year.

BPs can breed year round. Cooling is not needed. And low pressure like storms and rain also help make them frisky.

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No cooling here. They'll breed when they're ready. End of story.

Thank you for the feedback. So for those of you that breed year round, what type of schedule do you follow? How often do you introduce the males?


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