Hello, im a freshie over here, just made my account this evening XD but I figured I might as well go ahead and dive in and ask some questions. Let me apoligize in advance for how long winded this post is going to be. Also it is a broad array of questions "centered" around breeding, but im not sure if it qualifies one hundred percent for this forum, so my apoligies if I indeed misplaced this thread.

Now, Ive had my normal ball python for a little under 8 months. He's my first ball python, and snake in general. And ive been tossing around the idea of breeding a clutch or two myself. In the last eight months ive completely immersed myself in information about ball pythons, the breeding cycle, the basic genetics of breeding morphs, and I have to say the more I read and learn the more appealing the idea becomes. Granted, I wont begin breeding until both snakes are at the very least 3 years old, so in the mean time im going to be acquiring the tools and technology that will be required. Now we get to the meat of this topic.

1)My first question is about probing. I know how to genericly sex ball pythons by looking at the length and curvature of the anal spurs as well as the overall size and thickness of tails, but ive also read that these methods are not exact or always accurate, probing being the only sure way. But I dont know exactly where to begin learning to probe. Ive seen a few videos explaining the process but Im not very comfortable with the possibility that I could hurt my little guy even accidentally because I may have been improperly shown. Where would I go to learn the proper technique?

2)Incubators. I've seen a lot of people like to make their own, people make entire rooms into incubators, and ive seen these little pods that some websites sell claiming that all I have to do is get the vermiculite wet it down and plug it in. I was hoping you guys could clarify the best or most safe method for me. I just want to make sure im taking all the necessary precautions to ensure the hatching goes as well as possible.

3) I will more than likely be using rubber maids for the new hatchlings, because enclosures are expensive and more difficult to clean in higher numbers. The heat source is my biggest concern. My ball python now has an overhead heat lamp, but rubber maids dont have that convenient screen lid. Are heat pads safe to use with these? Id heard that heat pads can burn your snake when used with a normal tank, much less a plastic tub with a little substrate.

4)My fiance and I have had quite a bit of debate over what kind of snake to use right off the bat. He is in favor of using a Female Spider Ball with our normal Pakul, because we would immediately get a 50% chance of getting spider ball babies. But Im more inclined to get two yellow bellies, and attempt to breed Ivory ball pythons and simply not use Pakul for breeding. Or as another option Buy a super Mojave, and breed that with a russo, or something else that will wind up a blue eyed luec. Granted we are trying not to bite off more than we can chew, and my fiance would take the route that requires less money every time. Would I be better off attempting to breed something simple like a spider ball as a starting point?


Thank you very much for reading my ramblings if you made it this far haha. I appreciate any answers/feedback you give me = P