Need help on starting on breeding

[phrack3r]

well i plan on trying to breed a few bp's this year and i want to prolly pick up a few since i dont have any of size this season, i have breed colubrids before but i knows its pretty different im pretty sure. im ordering The Complete Ball Python by Kevin McCurley since it seems really great unless some1 suggests something different like the vpi book maybe more likely ill get both lol. any ways are there any breeders that ppl know of that have 07' preferbly 06' females ready breed this year. im looking into some morphs though links for norms will always be accepted any other tips on reading up will be great. thanks a head of time and ill post more as i get more response for what im going to be looking for/ working with this year.

[Alice]

Kevin's book is great . . . the book from VPI is awesome too. If you can afford both I think they're both worth it.

There are quite a few great sites that include detailed info on breeding that you might want to check out. Here are a couple that I usually refer people to:

http://www.joecompelreptiles.com/ball_bits/index.asp

http://www.ballpython.ca/gallery/breeding.html

Also, BP.net has many, many experienced breeders that willingly give their time to answer questions from individuals starting out . . . it's a great community.

Good luck

[phrack3r]

thanks alot for the 2 sites and i used have the second bookmarked but that might be on my desktop not laptop and as for the books i eventually plan on getting both

any ideas on what morphs i should be looking at or any breeders that have some breeder ready ones for sale i cant find many but i know there has to be a good amount out there

[JAMills]

Just some imput on purchasing breeding size animals. I see you posted this in September. If you purchase breeding size females, especially late in the season, the probability they will successfully breed and produce this season is dramatically reduced. The stress from shipping and the change of environment can cause a female not to produce right away. Like Adam Wisocki ( 8 Ball Pythons ) just said in his last reptile radio interview. After his move even good breeder females with noticeable follicle re-absorbed and did not produce for him that seaon. Females can be influenced greatly by change and it will affect your breeding/production.
Now I am not saying it is impossible to purchase a female of size, get her acclimated, and have her produce a good clutch right away, just not going to have the success rate you would with a female that has been in your collection for awhile, healthy, and has not been through the recent stress of shipping and change of environment.
The other thing to consider is QUARANTINE. Are you willing to bring a snake into your collection and start pairing her up with your males with out quarantine. Then you not only are facing not producing from her but possibly passing on something she was carrying to the rest of your collection.
Just my thoughts.