New here, these are my snakes :-)

Hi I'm Ash, 19, and I have (for the moment) only two ball pythons. This is me in the middle: http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...2e21739763.jpg

My boyfriend and I are expecting to make our first attempt at breeding the snakes this upcoming season (and by that point me may add another female or two). They are an '07 female normal and an '08 male lesser, called BigSnake and LilSnake respectively.

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...1175962dac.jpg

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...39b93f0ca8.jpg

These pictures were taken a while ago. At the moment the female is 1100 grams and the lesser is at about 510. Do you think the female will be able to gain enough weight by next breeding season for it to be safe to breed her? (at least 400 grams I'm hoping).

Welcome to the site:D

The images didn't show, but I bet they are nice lookin' snakes. By next breeding season I'm sure that she'll be ready. Good luck(: and again welcome to the site. This site is very useful as well, so any questions you ask you WILL get an answer:)

EDIT: Now I can see the pics lol. You have some beautiful lookin' snakes!

Couldn't see the pics :(

EDIT: nevermind, slow computer, I guess :)

no it's my fault, I tried to do it with HTML commands like I'm used to and I guess on this forum you have to do commands with these things [ [ ] ] :) fixed now though.

Welcome! She could be... some need to be older... more experts will chime in I am sure. Our 2007 (as far as we know, maybe she's a 2006) is ready to go.

Hey, awesome looking snakes! Welcome!

nice lookin lesser!

I'm sure many '07 females will be bred this season. I would try to get her up to about 1500 grams just to be safe though. Breeding her late in the season is never bad too if you want to try to get her bigger. :]

Very nice snakes!

cool looking lesser! Welcome

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Originally Posted by Ash

These pictures were taken a while ago. At the moment the female is 1100 grams and the lesser is at about 510. Do you think the female will be able to gain enough weight by next breeding season for it to be safe to breed her? (at least 400 grams I'm hoping).

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She should! Many breeders start offering their females more food in August to build up reserves for breeding. If she'll take 2 prey items once a week, try that, or try feeding her every 5 days instead of every 7 if she'll take it.

You and your mother look IDENTICAL

Haha! Thank you Patrick. I've been told that before. Some people tell me I'm the spitting image of my Aunt but not my mother, and a lot of the time people can't tell my aunt and my mother apart. Strange how things work.

BigSnake went off the feed for two months this winter and now that she's come off it, she's ravenous. Every time I walk past the tank she's in the strike position. I've been giving her two mice weekly (the stupid pet shop doesn't carry rats and the biggest mice they have are generally very very small) I feel mean, like she isn't full or something, but I don't want to overfeed her so I suppose I'll just stick to the 2 smallish mice weekly, and we'll see how things turn out by breeding season. Thanks for the warm welcomes, everybody :-D

Hello and welcome! Love your snakes! The little one has such bright coloring :0)

welcome and beautiful pair u got there :oops:

Welcome to the site and beautiful pair of snakes you have there :gj:

welcome to the forum, nice normal and lesser!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ash

Haha! Thank you Patrick. I've been told that before. Some people tell me I'm the spitting image of my Aunt but not my mother, and a lot of the time people can't tell my aunt and my mother apart. Strange how things work.

BigSnake went off the feed for two months this winter and now that she's come off it, she's ravenous. Every time I walk past the tank she's in the strike position. I've been giving her two mice weekly (the stupid pet shop doesn't carry rats and the biggest mice they have are generally very very small) I feel mean, like she isn't full or something, but I don't want to overfeed her so I suppose I'll just stick to the 2 smallish mice weekly, and we'll see how things turn out by breeding season. Thanks for the warm welcomes, everybody :-D

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that sucks im trying to wean some of mine from mice to rats its annoying lol rats are alot better to feed IMO goood luck with those beautiful BP's!

I'm not a mouse feeder, we raise our own rats but if you're trying to get a bit more weight on her I'd think she'd likely need more than 2 mice weekly just to achieve the total prey volume you want for a breeding female. Try and see if she'll take 1 or 2 more or tighten that up to every 5 days and see how it goes. A good digital scale is your friend when you own a snake or are contemplating breeding them. :)

If they will eat frozen/thawed you could order frozen feeders online. If they are eating live, you should probably try to feed frozen any way. I think your female will be ready this season, unless she goes on another big fast.
Welcome/I think you'll like it here!!!