How to breed ball pythons
The goal of this article is to increase your chances of success in breeding ball pythons. I will present some quick and easy tips to help you on your way to success in breeding these amazing animals.
correct sex – Make sure your animals are the correct sex and that you do, in fact, have a male and a female. There are two ways to determine the sex of a ball python, one is to “pop” and the other is to “test.” In my opinion, popping is the easier method between the two, it requires no tools and there is no danger or harm to the animal. To test a ball python, you need to insert a metal probe back toward the tail on the left or right side of the cloaca. Once the probe is inserted, a scale count is made to determine the sex of the animal. Males generally probe fairly deep about 8 or more subcaudal scales and females probe about 2-4 subcaudal scales. I will cover more detailed instructions on how to determine the sex of your snake in another article, if for any reason you are unsure about determining the sex of your animals, find a qualified reptile vet in your area to assist you.
sexual maturity – Males and females reach sexual maturity at different ages and weights. Sexual maturity in ball pythons appears to be determined more by weight than the age of the animal, although age definitely plays a role in sexual maturity. Females normally mature around two or three years of age and weigh between 1200 and 1500 grams, some may mature a little faster or a little later, but the vast majority will mature in this age and weight range. Males mature much faster than females and usually mature between 6 months and 1 year of age, although I have had some young males breeding as young as twelve weeks old! Breeding weight for males ranges in the area of 400 grams for small ones up to 800 grams or more for larger breeders for the first time.
Seasonal change and temperature drop – In the wild, ball pythons are seasonal animals and normally breed between October and December in the rainy season, with the egg-laying season being around March and April. Baby ball pythons begin to hatch and take their first meals after the rainy season, when prey is plentiful. Now in captivity, they can breed throughout the year, but having some seasonal changes and temperature drop increases the chances of having maximum production. I like to start gradually lowering my temperatures in November one or two degrees every week until I reach my maximum temperature drop of 5-7 degrees lower at night than my high temperatures during the day, which in the off-season is 85 at 87 degrees. In breeding season I work my way down to 80 degrees for a night low in the hottest side of the tub for three or four months and then work my way back to my low season 85-87 degree temperatures.
Pair them up for breeding – Once you have determined that you do in fact have a male and a female and that they are of the age and weight of sexual maturity, it is time to begin pairing these animals for breeding. I introduce my males to my females’ bathtubs and not the other way around because female ball pythons give off a lot of pheromones during the breeding season and these pheromones are great for signaling to male ball pythons that it is time to breed. Once I introduce the male to the female, I leave the pair without a break for 24 hours, after which I check if they are actively reproducing, if they are, I give them another 24 hours, if not, I move the male to the next . female tub and start the process again. Once the male has successfully copulated with a female, I offer him a small meal which is usually a small rat and 48 hours of rest. Once he is well rested, I repeat the process. I continue this process of mating my males to females until the females have ovulated or it is clear that they will not produce for the season.
Ovulation – Being able to correctly identify a female ball python that is ovulating is extremely helpful when breeding for maximum production. Here are a couple of quick tips to help you identify an active ovulator and a woman who has already ovulated.
Identify active ovulation – A female ball python that is actively ovulating will have a very noticeable swelling in the lower third of her body; it may even look like she just ate a big meal. You’ll also notice that her tail is attached to her body in an awkward “L” shape. That classic position is known as “Sucking” to veteran ball python breeders and is a great indicator that the female is in the process of ovulating.
Ovulation has occurred – If you miss active ovulation, all is not lost, and you can still tell if your female ball python has ovulated using these quick tips. First of all, she just watches her over the course of a couple of days and sees where she spends most of her time. Are you on the cold end of the tub or the hot end? If she is in the hot end of the tub, chances are your female has already ovulated and she no longer needs to be mated. If you are still reaching for the colder end of the tub and wrapping the container, then it is very likely that your female has not ovulated and she still needs to be mated.
Egg laying and incubation – After ovulation, your female ball python no longer needs to mate with a male and you can start setting up the incubator and making arrangements for the ball python hatchlings. About three weeks after ovulation, she will enter a shed cycle known to veteran breeders as “POS,” which stands for “post-ovulation shed.” Following the “POS”, you are looking at around 30-40 days until your female lays a clutch of eggs.