Selecting a male

[Griggs2121]

I have a 2 1/2' female bp right now. And I'm thinking about trying to breed her in a year or two. My girlfriend has a friend who has a male that she might be giving up. Hes maybe like 10 years old and 4-5' or something.

Is he too old? Is there a ceiling for male bp breeding age? Is there any way he would be unable to breed? I can't be sure how well he was cared for for the last 10 years.

Any other breeding advice would be helpful. Thanks

Chad

[Adam_Wysocki]

Is he too old? Is there a ceiling for male bp breeding age? Is there any way he would be unable to breed? I can't be sure how well he was cared for for the last 10 years.

Ball pythons can breed well into their 20's and maybe even longer.

-adam

[Griggs2121]

Ok, and I've heard the youngest you want to start breeding a female is around 1500 grams or 3'

But what about a male, when is the time you can start putting a young male into the equation?

[kavmon]

i've heard of people breeding males under 500 grams and less than 6 months old. i like to give the male a year or so and make sure he is in top shape.


vaughn

[Griggs2121]

wow that young? do you have first hand experience with this?

[Adam_Wysocki]

Male ball pythons will breed themselves to death if you let them! .... Be very careful breeding anything under 700 grams. The mistake a lot of breeders make is pushing young males to hard and making them sick.

Breeding young males can be done, but you have to know how to breed them and rest them in a combination that is both effective for breeding and not harmful to the snake.

-adam

[kavmon]

no my male is over a year old and over 900 grams.


vaughn