Tub Idea!

[TheSnakeEye]

I've spoken to a breeder friend of mine and he claims that ball pythons do better when it comes to breeding when in the dark. So I've come up with an idea. Would it be safe to spray paint the outside of my snakes tubs black? Considering I let them air out for a few days... If so what paint would you guys recommend?

[TheSnakeEye]

So no one thinks it's a good idea to paint the tubs?

[Crazy4Herps]

Should be fine, but I do remember reading somewhere about some brands of spray paint are toxic to snakes even after the fumes have dissipated, so you may want to do a bit of research on types of spray paint. Sorry I'm not of much help, but I think that could definitely work well.

[TheSnakeEye]

Thank you for the input. I don't know if they breed better or not, but I was also told that the hatch percentage also goes up. Supposedly he knows a breeder who keeps the ball room completely dark unless they are in there cleaning and he claims to have the highest success rate when it comes to hatching. So I figured, if they may breed better, and some of them eat better in the dark, why not just paint the tubs black?

[llovelace]

I don't understand what his hatch rate has to do with darkness, most incubators are dark (I think)

[SlytherynHiss]

I don't understand what his hatch rate has to do with darkness, most incubators are dark (I think)

LOL- That`s just what I was thinking.

[TheSnakeEye]

Well apparently the heartiness of the eggs originate from the mother, who when kept in darkness, yields better eggs. This is just what I was told, I can't confirm it. I was just told that apparently when compared to other large scale breeders hatch rates, this one breeder who does everything in the dark, has a much higher hatch rate.

[EverEvolvingExotics]

As for the original question, spray paint would be safe as long as you only painted the outside and you let all the fumes dissipate for ample time.

I have three of four sides covered and they are usually all in their hides. I personally like a clear tub front for a quick look without disturbing them, such as after feeding to make sure everything went down smooth.

[snakesRkewl]

I've spoken to a breeder friend of mine and he claims that ball pythons do better when it comes to breeding when in the dark.

I can only account for how I do things but everything your "hearing" goes pretty much against everything I'm doing
The kewl thing about this hobby is there is no one way to do things.

This past season I bred the snakes in a fairly well lit room with completely see through tubs sitting on shelves with no hides and have had an awesome season with 8 out of 9 females dropping eggs for me.
My partners have also had the same success doing it the same way I do, I' would never say dark is wrong because it isn't, just different than how I do things.
I also would never say dark is better, I've proven the whole process can be done successfully in fairly well lit up rooms.

Incubation is another aspect of this hobby that has MANY variables.
Our incubator gets plenty of light too and there has been no issues with it either, hatch rates of close to 100%