Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just looked in on my Timor pair and found them well entwined. Now, this doesn't mean I'll have eggs, but just in case:
Are there any Timor breeders out there for a few questions?
Standard python egg incubation (30-31C/around 87F?) or anything to watch out for? What time of year have you generally received a clutch (just wondering i they are "late" breeders)

You want 90 degrees F for the eggs, and can take 55-65 days to pip. The first successful breeding was in 1978, at a texas zoo. Back then, they incubated too low (85 degrees) and took the eggs 83 days to hatch. Typically humidity should be at ambient 98%$ but use hydrometers to mesure the humidity and temps inside the actual egg containers themselves. Im not really a timor breeder, or really a python breeder, but I took a very deep interest in these great pythons and learned as much as I could about them...which turns out to be very little. Sure, you have big shots like barkers and clarks, but are they working to successfully breed Timoriensis? No, best not. From what I know, they have only been bred twice in captivity, so good luck. I think if I had a pair, id do everything in my power to prepare them. I dont know if owners are really trying hard....

BTW Ive seen pics of timor eggs hatching and they make for very cute baby sakes

best,
John

What I would do is go and research the climate on Flores and surrounding Islands. That will give you a idea on where and how to start cycling them. Then see how the animals respond; you may have to tweak here and there but it is a learning process that you and the animals have to go through. Timors have been bred more than 2 times though, with a few Zoo's producing them yearly. Private breeders aren't producing them as frequently, but every now and then you'll see a clutch up for sale

are you sure? In what zoos? What private breeders? The reproductive husbandry of pythons and boas only has two captive examples of successful breeding. Then again, the book is probably mid 90s, but since the 90s ive never seen cBB timors for sale. Who?

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Timors have been bred more than 2 times though, with a few Zoo's producing them yearly. Private breeders aren't producing them as frequently, but every now and then you'll see a clutch up for sale
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Many feel that I need to be balanced with equal time. Wrong. I AM equal time.

-Rush Limbaugh, 1992

This is just off the top of my head but I believe the Dallas/Ft. Worth Zoo has a large Breeding group and produces at least one clutch yearly. I know a few other Zoos have produced them, but I don't have the information in front of me. As far as private breeders, I know Micheal Kostakos ( I think ) produced a clutch in 2002 ( again I think, I'd have to dig it up, or better yet, try to do a forum search, he did post pictures on the forum ). I've seen a 2 or 3 clutches on the classifieds between 2001 and 2004. Try Chris Carmicheal, I believe he still has the Barkers breeding group, and he also does in-depth research on Liasis, so he may be the person to talk to about captive bred Timors. If you want, do a Google search on European/Canadian breeders. I know they have also had some success

i can confirm your statement that the fort worth zoo has produced timors this past year (i own one of them). I don't know if they produce them annually, but i e-mailed them a while back to confirm that the snake i purchased here in south florida was from them and they reported having success with them. here's a pic of mine, he's a year old.
-adam

They have certainly been bred more than twice. Mine are CB and I have seen more CB's for sale here in Europe. But, very infrequently. I am trying to contact the breeder I got them from, to see what he remembers. But, from what I recall, his clutch was a one time thing. He got lucky.

>>What I would do is go and research the climate on Flores and surrounding Islands. That will give you a idea on where and how to start cycling them. Then see how the animals respond; you may have to tweak here and there but it is a learning process that you and the animals have to go through. Timors have been bred more than 2 times though, with a few Zoo's producing them yearly. Private breeders aren't producing them as frequently, but every now and then you'll see a clutch up for sale

Not to be patronizing at all, but do you mean CB- captive born? I know a lot of smarties collect egg deposits and take over for the mother. That'd be a good way to get timors! Find wild eggs.

But in actuallity, even if they have been bred 5 times or 10 times in captivity, no one sells them really and the high profile names arent touching 'em.

But you know that the breeder actually bred them and produced the eggs? That would be very interesting...from what I remember, dave barker gave up on them in 1975. If private breeders have been arbitrarily breeding timors, they should really get into shape. I cant see why these private breeders havent been more popularized? Find a stupid gene that makes a snake look vibrant and everyone will jump on the wagon! Produce a difficult to breed species and..well, popularity of the timor was always naff

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They have certainly been bred more than twice. Mine are CB and I have seen more CB's for sale here in Europe. But, very infrequently. I am trying to contact the breeder I got them from, to see what he remembers. But, from what I recall, his clutch was a one time thing. He got lucky.
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Many feel that I need to be balanced with equal time. Wrong. I AM equal time.

-Rush Limbaugh, 1992

Both Don Hamper & the Barkers have produced Timor pythons in the past. There is an article by the Barkers in the softcover book "Advances in Herpetoculture' on breeding them. The biggest obstacle seems to be getting the female to put on enough weight, as many timors are finicky breeders. Tracy did it by offering gerbils as a food item.

Ment to say "finicky feeders"

Gerbils?? These must be WC animals, because my female eats just about anything, rats, guinea pigs, small rabbits. She'll easily take 2 adult rats. Getting the female up to weight is NOT a problem

>>Both Don Hamper & the Barkers have produced Timor pythons in the past. There is an article by the Barkers in the softcover book "Advances in Herpetoculture' on breeding them. The biggest obstacle seems to be getting the female to put on enough weight, as many timors are finicky breeders. Tracy did it by offering gerbils as a food item.

>>Not to be patronizing at all, but do you mean CB- captive born? I know a lot of smarties collect egg deposits and take over for the mother. That'd be a good way to get timors! Find wild eggs.
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No, I mean captive BRED, not born. I am well acquainted with the practice of hatch eggs from WC and bred animals. But, like I said it was a fluke.
I agree they are stunning animals to look at, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And they do tend to be highstrung. Not that many people like a snake that large AND skittish.

Hi

I have a male from a german breeder. Its CB. He has a nice breeding group. He said that females start breeding when about 6,7 years old. Males 3,4 years old.

Take care and good luck
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Gabor Kaminski