Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I took in a very large female ball python just about a month ago. She was really under weight and going through a little bit of a bad shed. Her previous owner said that she hadn't eaten in several months, about 4. Well I got her weight back to normal (and then some lol) and she has had two prefect sheds in the month of my having her. Anyways, earlier this year "Big Mamma" laid a clutch of four eggs, three of which were good and hatched in early July. Yesterday I was cleaning my big male's bin and noticed I didn't have a clean empty bin to put him in so I put him in with her. Figuring that since she had already bred this year and laid eggs it would be safe for him to room with her for just a little bit. She did the normal "I don't like you" tail wagging bit and then she moved to the other side of the bin. I went to get him about 30 mins later and I guess she did like him because they were mating. So far they have been locked up for almost 24 hours. Is it possible for a female Ball Python to double clutch in one year? Has this happened to anyone? I am wouldn't suspect the breeding will hold but for the health of my female I would like some information. lol
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Christine
Tails With Scales Reptiles
Happiness is biting my snake back!

Technically this is the start of the breeding season. Is she at a healthy wieght right now. If so I would leave them together. Thy should breed off and on till maybe late Jan. or early Feb. Seperate them about the end of Feb. and resume feeding at this time. Eggs shoud be layed sometime in April or May and hatch sometime in July or August. Understand, this is all only if things go exactly this way. I could easily be off one way or the other a bit. The point is she will lay the eggs sometime next year and not this year. So it's not actually a double clutch situation. Hope this helps.

Quig

Yep, it's a pretty long cycle so not really double clutching as she isn't going to lay tomorrow, this month, or anytime soon. She was probably breeding this time last year for the clutch that hatched last summer, maybe even a little earlier given that it sounds like an early clutch.

However, with her reported fast and low weight with only the very short recovery time that you have had her I would keep feeding her as long as she'll keep taking it. Maybe she'll produce or maybe she won’t but now that breeding has started with her possibly being a little under condition I wouldn't recommend cooling or anything likely to stop feeding. If she has enough fat reserves and starts the cycle to produce eggs she'll eventually stop on her own but for now feed like crazy.