Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys,
I've had my pair together for awhile, and it seemed that they had absolutely no interest in each other. I wasn't too concerned, as I'm just interested in breeding them to supply one of my local pet stores with locally bred ball pythons (they're a very responsible pet store, independently owned, I respect them a lot). The male hadn't shown any sperm plugs or anything. However, last night at about 7.30 I was going to take the male out to let him study with me when I peeked in and saw this!
They locked from around 7.30pm until 1am, and then they were locked up again this morning around 8am. I'm not sure if they still are as I'm not at home. Question: I've heard that BPs normally stay locked up anywhere from 24-36 hrs... is there anything wrong with a short lock up? I figure that they're probably like us, and a quickie can get the job done, but I'm just curious. Thanks!

The happy couple, not wanting to be disturbed:

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-Jaime Palma
Mad-City Constrictors

24 hours?! Wow. I think whoever observed that just missed a seperation, and they'd locked up again by the time they came back.

Average that I've read in Kevin McCurley's book was 9 hours, and I've had lockups of as short as 4 or 5 before as well. The female that was locked up for that short period dropped 9 eggs, so I doubt there's anything wrong with a short lockup!

Hooray for supplying local pet shops! I do that too, but not with snakes yet.

~jenny
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"Polysyllabism in no way insures that what you're saying is actually worth being heard." - Blake (an e-friend of mine)

"I have never made but one prayer to god, a very short one: "O lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And he granted it." - Voltaire

Well, at least I know that they're not too abnormal. I'm really excited to see what may or may not come out of these two, assuming that she actually becomes gravid. I just got the pair off of a guy on craigslist that had bought them from a pet store and couldn't get them to eat F/T &didn't want to deal with the possibility of mating... so I got a really good deal on them, switched them over to F/T within a few weeks and they're as sweet as can be.
Of course, even if they're "just" normals (nothing "just" about them, IMO... I think normals are "just" gorgeous), it will definitely be exciting to see little heads pipping out of eggs.
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-Jaime Palma
Mad-City Constrictors

Congrats on your first time. As keepers I think it's important to make ther lives as interesting as possibile . ( And Fun ) I find my Balls locked up in the morning and locked up when I get home from work in the evening and still locked the next morning . Did they seperate and then lock up again? I don't know But 24 hours is common at my house . ( in the snake room )LOL Claude