Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm curious to know just how big a clutch a ball python can produce. I've heard of many instances of females producing a dozen eggs, and I just got a clutch of 13 fertile eggs, plus four infertile ones. I'm sure this isn't a record, but I bet it's pushing the limits. Where do these guys top out?

Day Ligon

How big was she?

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Adrian
Designer Ball Pythons
www.designerballpythons.com

Good question. My largest capacity digital balance max's out at 3000 g, and she was well above this even after laying. I'd guess that before she laid she was around 5.5-6 kg, and is probably around 4 kg now. In addition to being big, I've resisted breeding her for several years, hoping to come across a male morph that would really put her to good use. However, I finally broke down this year and mated her to my het. striped, so all those 13 eggs can produce is a bunch of 50% possible het. stripes. Oh well.

I've only seen two other females that looked like they were as big or bigger--both belong to Bob Clark.

-Day

Was it you that had a female produce 18 eggs in one clutch?

I think that the most eggs produced by a female is 18.

I remember reading a thread about BIG balls. Some were close to...8kg?
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Ryan Farris

That's the largest BP and the largest clutch I've ever heard of! I wonder if that 18 was all fertile. That'd sure be a sight to see!

-Day

I think she produced 17 or 16 in other years, also. Not sure on the fertile/infertile ratio though.
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Ryan Farris

my girls around 3000 g and she laid her first clutch for me this year and had 11 eggs-all 11 hatched healthy babies. ithink largest ever bp was likew 9kg in a zoo and was like 40 years old-read in a bp book.