Things to know when breeding BPs?

[CoolioTiffany]

I forget to write down the important things needed when breeding BPs. I feel so stupid because I know I will definitely need to remember these things. Anyway, I have quite a few questions, so if you take the time to answer all of them I will much appreciate it and thank you for all answers! Also, I need to know some definitions of words that I ALWAYS forget so I will list them down after the questions. Ok, here we go:

1) After the male and female has mated, How many days until her pre-lay shed?
2) After her pre-lay shed, should I put in an egg box in her enclosure and with what substrate should I have in that egg box and how many days until I will see eggs?
3) What type of substrate should I use in her enclosure during the mating and throughout the entire time she is gravid until she lays the eggs?
4) What size plastic container (and what brand) should I use for the eggs, and how many inches of substrate (hatch-right) should I put in the plastic container?
5) How many days until the eggs hatch?
6) If anyone can show me pictures or tell me (or both!) how to make your own incubator I would much appreciate it! I want the eggs to have a nice incubator, not one that's cruddy and not that great.
7) What substrate should I use for the baby BPs when I put them in a new enclosure?
8) Do I need hides, water dishes, decor plants & sticks, and things like that in their new enclosure?
9) When should I feed the babies, and how many days after they have hatched will they shed?

Definitions:
1) Follicles
2) Ovulation
3) And any other important definitions I'll need to know.

Hey, I'm a beginner, can you blame me?

[ColinWeaver]

1) After the male and female has mated, How many days until her pre-lay shed?
ANSWER: Pre-lay sheds are about 2 weeks after OVULATION, not copulation. Observing copulation is NOT an indicator of successful breeding.

2) After her pre-lay shed, should I put in an egg box in her enclosure and with what substrate should I have in that egg box and how many days until I will see eggs?
ANSWER: You are likely to find different opinions on this. I personally do not use an egg box.
ANSWER2: Assuming temperatures are correct, eggs are usually laid about 30 days after the post-ovulation shed. So, from the time you see ovulation you will have to wait 2 weeks for a shed and then 4 more weeks for egg laying.

3) What type of substrate should I use in her enclosure during the mating and throughout the entire time she is gravid until she lays the eggs?
ANSWER: Again, there will be many opinions on this. I keep my animals on cypress mulch year-round. I know many other successful breeders who use newspaper, sani-chip and aspen bedding. I'm a die-hard cypress mulch guy but you need to find what works for you.

4) What size plastic container (and what brand) should I use for the eggs, and how many inches of substrate (hatch-right) should I put in the plastic container?
ANSWER: Go to Target or Wal-Mart (or similar) and buy either a 6-quart tub or a 12-quart tub. I personally use 12-quart tubs for ball pythons eggs but they take twice as much room in the incubator. One of the most important things is to make sure that the eggs are not in contact with the lid.

5) How many days until the eggs hatch?
ANSWER: This is somewhat temperature dependent. I incubate at 89.6 - 90.0 F and my eggs hatch like clockwork in 53 days. Slightly lower temps (like 88F) will take a few days longer. Most people agree that you should not incubate above 90F.

6) If anyone can show me pictures or tell me (or both!) how to make your own incubator I would much appreciate it! I want the eggs to have a nice incubator, not one that's cruddy and not that great.
ANSWER: I built one EXACTLY like the drawing in Kevin McCurley's ball python book. Some people use old refrigerators. Others use wine coolers. I know another guy who make a simple box (like a foot chest) and it works great. I'll defer to others on the post to hook you up with some pics.

7) What substrate should I use for the baby BPs when I put them in a new enclosure?
ANSWER: Newspaper

8) Do I need hides, water dishes, decor plants & sticks, and things like that in their new enclosure?
ANSWER: Matters of opinion. I keep each baby in a 6-quart tub with newspaper and a stable (non-tippable) water bowl. That's it.

9) When should I feed the babies, and how many days after they have hatched will they shed?
ANSWER: Wait until they shed for the first time to offer food (about 10 days). Again, opinions will vary (live vs. frozen being a point of debate). I offer a small pink rat first. If they don't take that I offer a hopper mouse. I always feed live. Other have success with pre-killed. You will live a longer and happier life with your ball python if you get it to feed on rats. From the moment it eats a rat you will do yourself a favor to make sure it never again sees a mouse. You'll go broke trying to feed mice to a 2,500 gram ball python.

Best of luck to you.

Cheers.

[jglass38]

That is some good info from Colin! Also, check out the stickies at the top of the BP Breeding forum and go out and buy the VPI Ball Python book by Dave and Tracey Barker. There isn't a better book out that covers everything you would want to know about BPs.

Good luck!

[LGL]

1) After the male and female has mated, How many days until her pre-lay shed?

It may take multiple successful copulations before she'll ovulate and have her pre-lay shed. The pre-lay shed should take place roughly 16 days after ovulation.

2) After her pre-lay shed, should I put in an egg box in her enclosure and with what substrate should I have in that egg box and how many days until I will see eggs?

Expect to see eggs about 26-30 days after her pre-lay shed. Some females will lay about a week before or after that time frame too, so be prepared ahead of time. Some people use a small egg-laying tub for their females. I don't use one, but if you do decide to use one you can fill it with damp sphagnum moss. It can't hurt to add an egg-laying tub inside her enclosure.

3) What type of substrate should I use in her enclosure during the mating and throughout the entire time she is gravid until she lays the eggs?

I don't see a need to switch her substrate during the breeding season. Use what works for you: Unprinted Newspaper, Aspen, Cypress Mulch, etc.

4) What size plastic container (and what brand) should I use for the eggs, and how many inches of substrate (hatch-right) should I put in the plastic container?

A 6qt - 12qt (depending on clutch size) Sterilite or Rubbermaid tub can be used for the eggs. I would fill the container about 1/3 - 1/2 full with the incubation medium (in this case Hatch Rite).

5) How many days until the eggs hatch?

Eggs generally hatch in 58-60 days depending on the incubation temperature. They'll begin pipping around day 55-57 and then sit in the egg absorbing their yolk before they hatch.

6) If anyone can show me pictures or tell me (or both!) how to make your own incubator I would much appreciate it! I want the eggs to have a nice incubator, not one that's cruddy and not that great.

You may want to ask Jake Wallace (username PythonWallace). I hear he has some amazing homemade incubators.

7) What substrate should I use for the baby BPs when I put them in a new enclosure?

I would use damp paper towels until they have their first shed. After that, choose whatever (safe) substrate works best for you. Unprinted Newspaper, Aspen, Cypress Mulch, etc.

8) Do I need hides, water dishes, decor plants & sticks, and things like that in their new enclosure?

Each baby should have two identical hides (one on the warm side of the enclosure and one on the cool side) and a water bowl.

9) When should I feed the babies, and how many days after they have hatched will they shed?

They should shed in 7-15 days after they hatch. You can offer the babies fuzzy rats or hopper mice to start with. I generally offer hatchlings a fuzzy rat as their first meal and those that refuse are then offered hopper mice the next week.

Definitions:
1) Follicles

"One of the small ovarian sacs containing an immature ovum." - Follicles develop until they reach a certain size. At that time, ovulation occurs and they become eggs.

2) Ovulation

"To produce and discharge eggs from an ovary or ovarian follicle." - When the follicles become eggs. The female will have a huge swelling 3/4 of the way down her body for 24-48 hours. The fact that she looks like she swallowed a football or a jumbo rat yet has been off feed will give you a clue that eggs are on the way. Sometimes building is mistaken for an ovulation, but trust me, an ovulation is HUGE.


Hopefully that helps some.

EDIT: My poor slow typing skills when I've had little sleep are killing me. It looks like Colin beat me to it big time. Maybe I shouldn't have spent the time to go all fancy with the quotes... Good job Colin!