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Watching a ball python hatch-ling slice through an egg with their egg tooth, pip and take their first breath is an incredible experience for a breeder, especially when witnessed for the first time.  Some keepers who keep ball pythons as pets will eventually develop the inspiration to breed these cool animals. Breeding ball pythons is a simple process when a few basic principles are in place, such as

• having healthy mature males and females,
• good conditioning of females through diet,
• temperature / barometric cycling to stimulate breeding,
• understanding / interpreting a females shedding cycle and how it relates to follicle growth, ovulation and egg laying,
• introduction of the male during the stages of follicle growth,
• ovulation and getting viable eggs and
• proper Incubation.

When all of these basic breeding elements are understood, the best advice for success we could give to any future potential breeder is simply, patience.  You can try and rush success, but things may not always work out.  When breeding any animal, we are dealing with biology, and there are ups and downs along the way.  We will highlight some points one may encounter along their breeding endeavors.

Maturity

Ball pythons like most animals will develop to maturity at different rates.  No hard and fast rule exists on when a ball python will become mature enough to breed. This is one part of the biologic equation breeders do not have direct control of. Examples in rapid maturation are males breeding in their first year, and females as early as 18 months of age.

While some people try to power-feed their animals to grow them up faster up to size, there is no guarantee that this rapid growing works. One can rush growth by feeding their snake excessively, but you can’t rush maturity. Also note that obese snakes make poor breeders and have a tendency to slug out. We have had males breed in their first year and up to four years later. We have had females lay eggs between 18 months to five years of age. A healthy snake will most likely breed in captivity, but again, we are on their biological schedule.

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Cinnamon Pastel

Sex: Male
ID: 08cnmM43
Weight: 565g
Hatch Date: August 25, 2008
Comments: Feeding on rats — producing sperm plugs and ready for breeding this season.
Price: inquire

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If you are interested in this animal, please contact us. Please also see our terms of sale for additional information.