Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm new to ball pythons and python breeding in general. I've bred some carpets but that's about it. I do have tons of experience breeding colubrids but thought I'd try balls for some different.

My question is about heating a small collection. I only have 6 balls and probably won't be getting any more any time soon. I want to my hand at these guys first before getting any more. I live in Central Florida so it doesn't get too cold for too long during the winter. I've read all the "main" bp books and even watched the two DVDs (the Sutherland's and the Barker's). The thing about those two is that they both have state-of-the-art facilities that are completely climate controlled. So if they want a certain temp it's just a matter of dialing it in, whether it be ambient or hot spot.

For those of you with smaller collections who are not able to dedicate an entire room to your bp collection, what do you to control temps? I have mine in a Vision rack with a heat cable and themostat. The room I have them in stays about 76 on average (it goes up during the day and down a bit at night). I'd like to move them into the garage where I keep most of my colubrids and then just move the rack in during the winter since it can get pretty cool out there.

For breeding, are the temps something that need to be controlled very precisely? Tons of people are breeding these things and I can't imagine that everyone has a dedicated room that is climate controlled and can be perfectly adjusted for temps. What do you guys do that just have a small collection? Reading some of these books, it sounds like you really have to control the temps precisely.

Appreciate any thoughts or shared experiences.

thanks,
Mike

Really? No one can help out here?

lol that doesn't surprise me that there were no responses. seems like most of the post on here are people just trying to advertise for what they have for sale or their "new morph" anyway....

i am also a hobbyist new to bp's and live in the orlando area. i only have a handful as well. at least one of my females will be ready to breed this coming season. that is a great question, because i face the same situation. the room i have them in is warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter. the temp fluctuates. i have had success breeding colubrids and pitts in that climate. we shall see about bp's somehow i think they will be alright. they don't have perfect conditions in the wild and yet they still produce in great numbers. i think the perfect climate control would be optimal, but not necessary.

let me know how it turns out....

jonathan

i have a small room. i leave the one window open 20 inches or so. no air conditioning, no heating. in the summer if its 90 degrees outside i'm cleaning racks in 84 degrees. in winter if it's 30 degrees outside, its probably 55-60 in my snake room and i'm wearing a thermal. everyone has heat tape. i do not drop temps at night, etc - just a consistent hotspot at 88 degrees, give or take. all 12 months. they do see the light fluctuate due to the window.

heat guns are crucial in knowing truly what s going on with yr snakes. any snake that shows a body contact temp of 86 degrees is a content snake.

this past winter / spring i bred 16 females. 15 gave me clutches. and i'm waiting on the last gal.

not sure if this helps in yr particular situation.