Nothing would be better than the decision to raise a ball python as a pet as they are friendly and docile when compared with the other snakes. Ball pythons which are also popularly termed as ‘Royal pythons’ could be maintained easily too.
As a beginner, raising a ball python would be a simple decision but have you thought about the breeding of ball python. It’s not an easy process and needs expert guidelines. Hence we had listed out some essential information regarding how to breed the ball python below,
Breeding of Ball python
Being a complicated process, the breeding in ball python would take nearly a year to complete. The proper environment with optimum temperature along with the male and female stimulus would favour the breeding process. The temperature can be monitored with a Thermometer.
How to prepare the ball pythons?
It’s highly essential to select the right ball pythons of both genders for breeding.
Female ball pythons – Make sure the weight of the female species is around 3.5 pounds to 4.5 pounds. These pythons should have attained maturity, and so you should go for three-year-old pythons. It should be free from any illness or abrasion.
Male Ball pythons – Unlike female species, the male pythons could be used for breeding from one year old. The healthy weight of these pythons would be around 1.5 pounds. You can also join the snake handling course that will provide you complete training to handle and take care of most snake breeds.
Probing
Probing is a process to decide the sex of the ball pythons, to carry out the process, you have to insert a sterile sliding probe into the cloaca (which is located below the tip of its tail) of the python. The python should be held accurately during the process as any mistake would affect the determination of sex.
The gender could be determined through the distance covered by the probe before it gets blocked by a resistance. If it reaches about eight subcaudal scales, then it is male python while if it reaches alone four scales, then it’s female.
How to stimulate the ball pythons?
Now, before starting the breeding, you should maintain the male and female ball pythons in separate cages and enclosure tanks.
Female stimulus – Brumation, is a state of the snake during the winter season of the year, and it would help detect the fertility of the female pythons. If it’s not the winter season, you may change the climatic condition of the enclosure which replicates the same. Ensure the temperature is maintained at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It should be maintained for three months and warm up the habitat immediately.
Male stimulus – Male ball pythons are challenging to be prepared for the breed, but it could be efficient if you locate the male python with the fellow males.
How to breed the ball pythons?
Once both pythons are ready to lock them up in the same cage and allow them to mate for some days, once they get parted, remove them from the cage. If you find the thicker flesh near the end of the tale, it means that the female python becomes gravid.
Once it happens, the female will be restless due to the ovulation. After three weeks, she will undergo a shedding period followed by laying the eggs after 30 to 40 days. Now you have to keep the eggs in the incubator. The eggs will begin to hatch after 55 days.
Due to the tricky and curious nature, the breeding process of ball pythons could be exaggerating as a beginner. Remember, patience is the virtual key to complete the process. However, once you are experienced with proper guidelines, you could even make a profit from the offspring.
