whats the longest it took a ball python to mature??

[spaztheweird1]

i have a 18 month ball that hasn't made sperm plugs yet so i was wondering how long some snakes have took to make them im in no rush just wanting to know.

[blackcrystal22]

Technically most snakes are sexually mature at a young age (around 1-2 years) but most should not be bred just because they are sexually mature. Even if a snake is able to produce, it may not be safe because it is not of a good breeding size or weight.
It's kinda like referring to the youngest human mother was 5 years old, and most girls mature at 12-14 years old, but it's not the best idea for a 12 year old to have a child.

:]

[dcgator24]

Put him with a female this coming season and I bet he'll get the job done. Also, do you know what a sperm plug looks like? Just because you don't see what you think is a sperm plug doesn't mean he's not sexually mature. I personally believe a sperm plug is a misnomer. It's not like the snake is having wet dreams at night. What most people identify as a sperm plug is actually several shed skins from the inside surface of the hemipene. These are commonly expelled the first time the male copulates and everts a hemipene.

[spaztheweird1]

no i know what it looks like i have seen it on here and on the Davis vid

[Sputnik]

Some males can take up to 5 years before breeding.

[littleindiangirl]

Put him with a female this coming season and I bet he'll get the job done. Also, do you know what a sperm plug looks like? Just because you don't see what you think is a sperm plug doesn't mean he's not sexually mature. I personally believe a sperm plug is a misnomer. It's not like the snake is having wet dreams at night. What most people identify as a sperm plug is actually several shed skins from the inside surface of the hemipene. These are commonly expelled the first time the male copulates and everts a hemipene.

GREAT point. I have read from Dave Barker that no pythons have sperm plugs, and they are all in fact that shed skin. I believe it was in the VPI book.