Hello Dolly!

[BPlovernewbie]

Okay so you can tell by my display name, that I love pythons yet I know nothing about them.
Actually I bought my first snake (Ball Python, Terrin)... I'd say 8 months ago, totally feel in love with it so I bought another (BP, Terri) I love them to pieces, but Terri, I sold to a friend who wanted a snake like crazy. So for like 6 months, I kinda didn't get too much into my snake, I mean yea I'd feed it, take it out of it's cage twice a week, but you know, I didn't get a real bond with snakes until....
I want on craigslist, and I was just looking at the pet section on the website, looking for some toys for my new puppy, yes I love animals! And came across an add for two pythons, for 35$ each. I was so excited because I knew I had wanted one, but could find a deal. I have a huge terrarium about the size of a piano, and having Terrin in that huge cage all by her lonesum, seemed awful. So I bought the two male snakes the next morning. Okay so something crazy happens, I wake up the day after and I see Terrin completely wrapped by on of the new male snakes! I freaked!!!!! I went online and tried to get as much information and help on how to breed Ball Pythons, I have never been so excited before! I just bought an incubator, and right now as I type this, my snakes are doing it! And this is the second day! I still have no idea wtf I'm doing so I came to this web site to get as much help as I can on how long to wait, how hot and humid should the cage be, when she has the eggs how do I work the incubator... okay well I'm tired of typing, if any one read this huge post, thanks a bunch :):):)


Nicole Marie

[DaemoNox]

One word of caution, I know its too late now but really important to remember for next time is quarentene. Especially if your going to place them together all new snakes need to be quarentened seperately for at least a few months to make sure theyre healthy and eating good, as there is some nasty things they can spread to each other.

Another thing is that snakes are solitary creatures, housing them together is opening doors for risks like in your case, breeding, as well as stress, health, feeding risks and so on. How big is she? Females can breed even though theyre not developed enough to lay, which is extremely hard on their systems and can even lead to eggbinding which can kill her. Males will fight each other, and will often refuse to eat trying to get at the female.

[BPlovernewbie]

Well that scares the crap outta me! I don't want any of um to die!!! Yea, I have been talking to a breeder, and he told me to seperate um, So I got like 3 10gallon tanks with screens in this huge terrarium I have. I have no clue how "big" my female is (she's no younger than a year old, I mean I've had for about 9-8 months and she was at least 3 ft when I got her and she feeds on rats), but she's got a good foot n half on the one thats "doing her" and the other one is about the same size, maybe alittle bigger in length but both of um are WAY skinner than she is, but their both way healthier than my snake! I'll tell ya that, I mean. I had no idea she was in "bad" shape. Terrin wouldn't eat after I gave Terri away, well she would but normally she'd eat a rat a week, it slowed down to about a rat a month! so I was convinced, she is depressed, (now I took a pyschology class and we learned all about the brain, so yes I know that's not possible, snakes have no emotion or memory).
anyway, the two boys have super moist skin, and eat real good, I mean when you pick them up they feel really alive and healthy. Terrin isn't that bad mostly it was the bad eating problem and the dry skin. Once I got um I realized how I needed alot more humidity in the cage so I put some moss stuff in there around the water bowl and sprayed that with water, and a wet towel on top of the screen (not covering all of it) and with the top light beaming threw it, her skin is already looking better.
I am alittle worried, i know I must sound dumb but, she is starting to bleed from her... well you know where, is that okay? is the other snake just being rough? Should I seperate them, will she still be fertile?

[Aaron_S]

DaemoNox beat me to it. Everything he said is some sound advice. I'd look into housing the snakes seperately.

Also, hopefully you do recieve eggs. Aslong as she's not too small.

[BPlovernewbie]

Well I took your advice and found a nice set up on craigslist, so I got the other male outta the cage. But the male and female are together, a breeder told me to leave them together for about a week.
Both of the males are skinny and smaller than the female. the males are about 2n'half ft. and the females probably got a good foot on um. They are just basking away in the moss with the heat lamp, so the cage is pretty humid, not so much hot, cause I know your supposed to cool down the cage for about a month before you put them together.
Um other than that, everyone of um seem to be a happy camper, I like how all of them are really friendly.
Thanks for all your help guys, but after I sperate the male sometime next week, what should I expect with the female, should I raise the temp. in her cage, like I have no idea what I'm in for!

[DaemoNox]

I Would seperate the other male, she is very young and I wouldnt feel safe at all breeding her.