Ball python breeding advice

[Monkey boy]

Hi guys,

So my royals are finally ready to breed and the question in asking is what time of year do I stick them together... my male is over a kg and my female is up in the 1600 gram mark. I have read many things on the Internet but I thinks better to get advice from people that actually do it .... so here I am

[Andy_G]

Early spring is best. How old are both snakes? Age as well as size play a factor.

[Aaron_S]

I start pairing my snakes in late fall. I know many people who start in Sept or October.

So start when you like. Pair consistently. It will generally take more than once.

Also remember they are living creatures. They will do as they want on their own schedule too.

[Andy_G]

Oh boy...I didn't realize the species LOL, sorry about that. Aaron is right of course...you get EGGS in the spring but start to pair in the fall. You'll miss the window of opportunity if you wait til spring most of the time. :)

[Albert Clark]

Actually you can pair them year round w/o any real need to be too concerned about the season. It seems that once a female is paired with a male, provided she is the required weight and age, and is in good health that will trigger hormonal releases. It's important to separate and reintroduce for 3 day durations. Some breeders do "condition" their animals based on season and lowering night time temperatures and some even turn the heat off completely for several months. There are several methods for breeding and you will need to research and find out which method seems to be the one you are more comfortable with and have the means to provide for the animals.

[Monkey boy]

There are so many I think I'm gonna go with the just introduction of the male and not worry about the temp change. .. I mean if they do they do if they don't they don't also I know ball python are very fussy with the hole feeding and don't wanna rick any problems by changing the temps really.... the animals in question is a butter pastel proven male and a 3yr old female pastel. I have also read about pairing the male for 3 days and 3 days out and 3 days in then three days out for a couple weeks then a week off till you see a lock then wait for the female to show signs of being gravid...... is this right?

[Albert Clark]

That is pretty much a way to do it. Remember that a healthy male can breed with up to 4 females but it's good to give him his rest in between pairings IMO. Be prepared for him to stop eating once you start pairing him. Her appetite will increase.Then there is always a possibility a female will reject a given male and vice versa. Also a female may lock, breed with a male over the course of a season then not produce eggs.

[Monkey boy]

Awesome :-) I know you said that they can be breed all year round but will the female still produce folicals? My make is about 1200 grams so he should be ok if he stops eating for a while just hope he doesn't tho ... will they fight?

[Albert Clark]

Sure. She will still produce follicles, conditioning/ cycling seems to enhance the development of both spermatogenesis and follicular bodies. Follicle production is what happens normally in a adult mature female who is in the proximity of male or males. Actual male stimulation by the male, with his spurs and close body contact with the female plays into follicular development. Males and females won't fight each other they may just reject one another.

[Monkey boy]

Oh ok... I was in the thinking she wouldn't be ready for him and didn't just wanna be pairing them endlessly if there was no chance of folicals lol so its kinda like snake fore play lol

[Aaron_S]

I find females to have their own seasons. I have a few females here that tend to be early in the year and some that always give me late clutches.

Females will develop with the right stimulation as Albert said but sometimes it just won't matter. It's why I pair from November until the final ovulation is observed. (Roughly Aug to sept)

If a female isn't ready she won't breed. With that said, I know of real small females breeding but they generally don't produce consistently after.

[dannybgoode]

Not wishing to wee on any fires but a practical consideration.

There's a ton of people producing high quality RP's. Do you know how you'll move the babies on if you're successful?

Keeping a load of baby snakes and not having a market for them can be costly.

As I say, genuinely not wanting to vee negative but such things should be considered before embarking on a breeding project

[Ian of Oldham]

Way go on bread them bring more unwanted snakes to be homed , then they will end up in rescue and people like me will pick up the pieces

0.1.1 Royals 1.0 Corn 1.0 Boa 1.0 Carpet and a mad Cat

[Aaron_S]

Not wishing to wee on any fires but a practical consideration.

There's a ton of people producing high quality RP's. Do you know how you'll move the babies on if you're successful?

Keeping a load of baby snakes and not having a market for them can be costly.

As I say, genuinely not wanting to vee negative but such things should be considered before embarking on a breeding project

How many breeders do you personally know who can't move their babies? How many breeders have you seen "dump" babies or offspring? How many babies have you seen end up this way?

I'm not saying it isn't or shouldn't be a consideration for when breeding because until they sell they are still the breeders responsibility.

However, I've bred ball pythons for years. I know many others who do as well. I know I sell out every year and so do many others who have far more than me. I don't see a problem if someone wants to breed them. You just need a channel to sell them.

I personally sell to most other breeders or I wholesale to others who sell them to the public who mainly want a cool looking pet snake.

[dannybgoode]

How many breeders do you personally know who can't move their babies? How many breeders have you seen "dump" babies or offspring? How many babies have you seen end up this way?

I'm not saying it isn't or shouldn't be a consideration for when breeding because until they sell they are still the breeders responsibility.

However, I've bred ball pythons for years. I know many others who do as well. I know I sell out every year and so do many others who have far more than me. I don't see a problem if someone wants to breed them. You just need a channel to sell them.

I personally sell to most other breeders or I wholesale to others who sell them to the public who mainly want a cool looking pet snake.

No agenda from me Aaron. Was a genuine question in case the OP hasn't considered it. Facebook in the UK has Royals for sale at silly cheap prices and don't want them ending up with a load of snakes they can't move on.

I certainly did not mention dumping snakes at all and apologise if that's how my post came across. As I said in my op I was not looking to be negative, simply raising the point in case it had not been considered.

Whilst not at the scale of over breeding beardies are over here the market is reaching saturation unless you're breeding the high end morphs.

Personality I'd love to have a go at breeding myself but know I don't have the time or resources.

[Aaron_S]

No agenda from me Aaron. Was a genuine question in case the OP hasn't considered it. Facebook in the UK has Royals for sale at silly cheap prices and don't want them ending up with a load of snakes they can't move on.

I certainly did not mention dumping snakes at all and apologise if that's how my post came across. As I said in my op I was not looking to be negative, simply raising the point in case it had not been considered.

Whilst not at the scale of over breeding beardies are over here the market is reaching saturation unless you're breeding the high end morphs.

Personality I'd love to have a go at breeding myself but know I don't have the time or resources.

I understand it was genuine and I agree that it's a point to address because not every snake sells within 6 -8 weeks. Some take a few months and you're correct. Breeders need to know that you may have a baby snake for 5 months before it sells.

I quoted your post but I was making some rhetoric questions for all the people who say not to breed due to all these "rescues".

[dannybgoode]

Thanks for clarifying Aaron-understand completely...

[Andy_G]

Way go on bread them bring more unwanted snakes to be homed , then they will end up in rescue and people like me will pick up the pieces

0.1.1 Royals 1.0 Corn 1.0 Boa 1.0 Carpet and a mad Cat

Are breaded ball pythons a delicacy in Oldham?

Seriously though...stop with the whole rescue thing. You feed snakes the same day you take them in and it's disgraceful to put them through that stress. Perhaps if you did things right and/or commented about it only when appropriate I would feel different. I don't think I am the only one with these thoughts.

[Magdalen]

Are breaded ball pythons a delicacy in Oldham?

Seriously though...stop with the whole rescue thing. You feed snakes the same day you take them in and it's disgraceful to put them through that stress. Perhaps if you did things right and/or commented about it only when appropriate I would feel different. I don't think I am the only one with these thoughts.

Well I could definitely go for better typed out responses from him. Ugh enough to hurt my brain.

Ian, and I know this is getting slightly off topic, I get that you want people to consider rescues (I work with a horse rescue) but you'll have better luck not trying to shove it forcibly onto them or guilt them or make them out to be the bad guy. And better English. Please!


Sorry OP!

[Snake_eyes_88]

Bloody hell, it's not like he's breeding some normal beardie's Ian.... I agree that some thought on whether they'd find homes is needed but not everyone has the capability to take on a proper rescue and nurse them back to health.. But then again, almost everyone thinks they're rescuing these days.

I personally really dislike royals but the market for them is there in the uk, even for the low end morphs purely because they're so docile in general.

I love my boas etc, but I'd be far more worried about him producing pastel boas and not selling them rather than a few royals.. It's not even like they have massive clutches unless I'm missing something...