Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What type of food do your pieds prefer? Do they eat as often as your other ball pythons? Thanks

I use rats/mice for my 2002/2001 hold backs.
The adults I use rats/gerbils.
They can eat anything any time and then they are a big pain in the butt! I would say they are not food slammers.

The home of singing snakes

But I love them
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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

Do they seem to like gerbils better?

Sometime they could care less what you give them.....period.

help Martha - buy sheets

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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

Hello,

Our 2002 male Piebald just stopped eating regularly. Hatched on 5-9-02 he is about 950 grams now and he was feeding great on live/pre-killed small rats. He is now showing increasing interest in breeding... maybe some late 03' hets?!? I guess we will just have to wait and find out!

We also have 8 female Possible Hets. that are all around 4-500 grams and are quite touchy with feeding. Usually 5 out of the 8 eat everytime! They are on live rat pup/weanlings.

The picture attached is the '02 male Pied at about 650 grams...

Thanks
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Sean Bradley
Owner : EbN
www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornSnakeMorphs.com

Some pieds eat great others not. You mentioned "He is now showing increasing interest in breeding..." What did you observe that he was showing you that he was interested in breeding? I have no clue if they are interested or not.

help Martha - buy sheets
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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

Cruising the cage... Slowed feeding responses... Spurring females... that kind of stuff!

Thanks,
-----
Sean Bradley
Owner : EbN
www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornSnakeMorphs.com

Cruising the cage...
My hatchlings to my oldest adults do that.

Slowed feeding responses...
Same thing here depending on animal. I had one girl eat a small rat at lest 2 month before laying eggs. I have had hatchling as picky eaters. I offer food each week during "breeding season". Next year I am starting breeding in late December or early January.

Spurring females...
I have never got that close to even see my adult male spur. And I do not house two animals in a cage except for breeding. I placed my adult axanthic to breed and I observed his vent opened as I placed him in the cage. I knew his intent.

that kind of stuff!
Any other stuff you observed? I heard that when a females wrap their water bowel means they have eggs. Then I saw my male axanthic wrapped around the water bowel and scratched my head. Each thing we can share makes us all better breeders. Thanks. Always willing to learn!

save Martha - buy a place mat

My male pied I produced in 2002! He is my favorite.

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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

you sure do ask a lot of questions for someone who claims to be an experienced breeder.Take the gloves off and get in there and see what your snakes are doing!!! You aren't going to learn anything if you are afraid of them!!!

just my $.02

Never have claimed anything about me being an experienced breeder. And as old as I am I always try and learn something every day. Some techniques I use and some I do not. I am not afraid of them....I respect them...a big difference. For example I believe VPI, Snake Keepers, Nerd, Pete, Davis all take eggs from mom to incubate I do not. Like I said I like to expand my knowledge of what others are doing. Then I decide what I like to do.

Can you tell me what you are working with? Perhaps you could give me some incite/advice that other forum readers could use. Just a thought!

1993-2003 10th year.....one of my former student got me involved in reptiles

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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

>And as old as I am I always try and learn something every day.

As long as you continue to look at life this way, I don't think you'll EVER be old!

We ALWAYS observe our animals! We clean and feed twice a week so we are always looking in on the projects to see how they are coming along. I have only seen my larger males crusing the cage in the breeding season.

As for spurring... I HAVE to know what's going on with breeding. No surprises here at our operation! Hey... if a male and female are locked up... I have to be sure of that. I will open the cage and lift up their tails to see if they are indeed copulating! Never had a problem with that once... we do it for every single colubrid we breed and we make note of it everytime. Many times a male and females tails are locked up but there is no penetration.

Remember that EVERYONE does things differently, especially with Ball Pythons!

Gloves?!? No gloves here! Mess with the bull be prepared for the HORNS!!!

Thanks,

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Sean Bradley
Owner : EbN
www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornSnakeMorphs.com

Most of my adults cruse at night. Almost all of my adults cruse after cleaning.
I never would disturb my animal breeding. I am afraid of damaging their hemipenes. I have heard you may break them. I just take note if I see their tails together. I also believe that penetration can happen and still no eggs. Sometimes breeding ball pythons can make you a humble person.

Like you said, "Remember that EVERYONE does things differently, especially with Ball Pythons!" I am not criticizing just saying what I do. Other folks can decide for themselves.

Sorry, I never said anything about gloves. Lost me

You all have a great day!
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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

I'm no expert by far and I don't have all the experience you guys do, but I have witnessed the spurring. I have a pair of 02 Balls that I was housing together temporarily. Them being so young, I didn't think much of it, I mean it was only going to be for a week or two. I guess it was about 3 days after they had been together and I noticed them huddled together and the female was twitching a bit. I opened up the top, looked more closely at them and I saw him scratching the female with his spurs. It was a strange thing to see actually, but again I just figured he was being an ambitious youngster. A while later when I checked on them, their tails were curled together. This is when I intervened and saw that they were not penetrating thank goodness and I immediately separated them. He probably is too young to do anything, but I don't have alot of experience, so safety first. No more opposite sex house mates, no matter how young. In fact, I'm keeping ALL my animals in their own enclosures. They seem to be happier like that. Next year, they will be ready to go, most likely, but it was neat to see the behavior, because I've wondered if I could get them to breed when it comes time. It was a novice mistake obviously, but I learn more everyday. I can't really say too much about the other behaviors mentioned, because I don't think I have enough experience with them to say for sure. So far though, I notice all my Balls cruise at night, when they're hungry especially. Feeding responses I've noticed, vary from snake to snake. Just my two cents I guess. BTW, good luck this season everyone!
-Cathy

Some times I do not think there are answers. But yes my craw all over the cage at night when I turn the lights on. And you observed juveniles spurring. I never saw spurring.

The home of singing snake
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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

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Sean Bradley
Owner : EbN
www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornSnakeMorphs.com

That one's awesome! A truly beautiful animal.