Got first BPs, have a question.

[Arbok]

Hey everyone. I got two ball pythons a couple of weeks ago and I've been lurking this forum but I have a question that maybe you can help me with. I do have some snake experience, I own an adult corn snake and I work at a pet store where I deal mainly with hatchling balls, boas, and corns. However these are my first personal ball pythons and the first adult BPs I've dealt with, and I don't ever cohabit snakes and this question relates to that.

I got the snakes about two weeks ago from a friend of mine who didn't have time for them anymore and asked me to take them. They are 7 and 9 years old and have lived together in the same 40 gallon breeder tank since the 7 year old was purchased as a hatchling (I know - yikes). I am going to be separating them into individual enclosures very soon as it bothers me to house them together. Luckily they are in pretty good health, not skinny and no stuck shed. I've fed them once already and one of them just finished shedding.

My question is could a male and female snake live together that long and not breed? I popped both of them and one is definitely male, but the other looks female to me. However I only have experience popping baby snakes so it's possible that I'm not using enough pressure or he's just good at holding in his hemipenes. Is it possible that a male and female snake have lived together for 7 years and never bred or laid eggs? I have never bred snakes so I'm not sure if they require a cooling period to breed like some reptiles and maybe the conditions have just never been conducive. The confirmed male snake is 3ft 9 inches and the unidentified one is even smaller at 3ft 6 inches, so I'm thinking it may also be a male and I just haven't gotten the hang of popping adults yet.

Thanks in advance for your input!

[Kaorte]

Arbok! Love the name



I suppose its possible for them to live together and not breed.. I don't co house my snakes so I don't know

If the other one is a male that would make more sense. If they have lived together for their whole lives and never "smelled" females before then they wouldn't combat like most males would.

Do you have weights on either of them? Males tend to stay pretty slender, while females get really thick and heavy. Since the other one is smaller than the male, its very possible its a male.


Thanks for separating them