Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How long does gestation take in a Ball Python? From the day they breed, to the day the eggs are layed?

Thanks!
Ben Hillman
Kenya's Jungle Herps
www.jungleherps.20m.com

Here is one example from one girl in 03. She breed from 11/5 to 3/28 a total of 8 times. She ovulated on 4/10,had her post ovulation shed on 5/6 and laid on 6/7. As for my group she was one of the late ones.

Gestation is not from the time they breed until the time they lay eggs. Gestation, in egg layers, is from the time they are fertilized (ovulation) until the time they are layed, and that is roughly 45-60 days. They can breed for months before there's any fertilization taking place. It varies. Considerably.
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MUCH VARIATION HERE. The source of this variation is the fact that fertilization does not take place until after the female ball python ovulates. Following ovulation, the time for the female to actually deposit the eggs is 7-8 WEEKS. In "The Ball Python Manual" by Phillipe de Vosjoli and David and Tracy Barker, the Barkers claim that female ball pythons cease breeding 6 to 30 days before ovulating. I have 2 females who ovulated within the last week and BOTH of their last breedings were 5 DAYS before ovulation. However, both of them began breeding in early November 2003 and bred from 4 to 6 times since then. Therefore, one can expect for the female to drop eggs (IF SHE IS GOING TO DROP EGGS AT ALL - that is, IF she ovulates) from 2 to 3 months following her last breeding. This might be useful knowledge if ovulation is never observed. However, if you see ovulation just expect eggs in 7-8 weeks.