Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am currently trying to breed ball pythons I've already did the light cycling and brought the lucky couple together on tuesday nov.25th I noticed them copulating.heres my questions,Ive seperated them assuming that one time took hold should i put the together again? 2.)my book says theyll hatch in 4 to five weeks after her first shed after breeding she shed on friday the 28 this seems awful quick normal shed cycle? or possibly impregnated i seperated them and put an egg deposite box in there what are my odds it seemed too easy ive bred lizards (beardies and geckos)the supposed easy breeders and they took longer than this any help from an experienced accomplished ball breeder will be greatly appreciated.thanx

I would continue to place your pair together for the next few months. It is true that one copulation can result in eggs, however more breeding attempts will raise the chance of getting fertile eggs. I breed my Balls from October until March, most will ovulate in February or March, and lay in April. Also I breed until there is no copulation observed, the female will not allow the male to breed her if she is gravid. She will also stop eating, lay belly up, and start growing follicles. Let me know if you have more questions, I hope this helped.
Jason
Circle City Serpents

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Keep putting them together and then in the spring once the temps goes back up she will ovulate then shed then lay eggs. Time from ovulation to laying is around 60 days. Good Luck. Hope this helps
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www.BallPython.Us

my book says theyll hatch in 4 to five weeks after her first shed after breeding she shed on friday the 28 this seems awful quick normal shed cycle?

I have no idea why a book would say this. Maybe I've misinterpreted what you have written, but a female Ball ovulates, then sheds, then 25 days later lays the eggs, THEN after 49-55 days the eggs hatch. I have never seen an egg hatch without being laid first. Unless maybe it a boa.
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your right. I meant to type laying, and not hatching.the book is-Pythons a complete pet owners manual, by barrons. It states a female will undergo a pre-laying shed about a month before laying. it just seemed fast that two days after copulation she'd be undergoing a prelaying shed.thanks for everyones help one more question if i continue to reintroduce the male do I remove the egg deposite box he likes to deficate in it.or do i keep cleaning it out

Yes females have their pre-lay around 3-5 weeks before laying.

One copulation RARELY results in a clutch of eggs. Ball Pythons are the easiest thing in the world to breed. Getting fertile eggs is another story. Its not hard, but it just doesn't usually happen after one mating at the end of November. I will continuously put pairs together from Oct. to March, and I start seeing my first clutches around April or May. Some people get them earlier, but rarely do they get them after a couple of November breedings.

I don't even use an egg-laying box anymore, but when I did, I only put it in about a week before laying, or 2-3 weeks after the pre-lay shed.
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