Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys and girls.
Today I got two male ball pythons from this guy, who said his friend no longer wanted to keep snakes. I met him and I got the snakes. I got them home, but I was running late to a meeting so I put the two snakes into the same enclosure until I come back and wash the other one out. I'm just getting back from the meeting and they are mating. I dont know which one is the female and which one is the male. Male #1 is 1383g and male #2 is 1408 my question is should I separate them or should I let them countinue? I know the some people say the female should be 1500g and none of them are 1500g? If one becomes gravid will she die or be hurt from not being big enough?

Regarding how you tell which is the male, and which is the female -

There’s still the possibility that they’re both males and one is, uh, forcing himself on the less dominant one.

But let’s think positive! Normally, the male would be on top of the female or on the outside of her coils sort of visibly “holding on” or pressing up against her, and lying on his side. Frequently, his tail is positioned underneath hers with his ventral side facing upwards. Behaviorally, she is often more passive during this time, while the male acts testy. He may shove up against the female or, for that matter, you, when he is touched.

Of course, the best way to determine their sex is to have them probed.

It’s not a done deal that you’d get eggs. Ball pythons seem to be happy to copulate any old time they’re put together.