Royal Python Breeding
Breeding Age and Size
Typically male Ball Pythons reach sexual maturity around 6‐8+ months of age and a good breeding weight is typically around 500+ grams. Female Ball Pythons can reach sexual maturity around 2‐3+ years of age and around 1000+ grams. The size and weight of the females are critical in breeding, as the female has to be of proper size to pass eggs without becoming egg bound. The size of the male can also be just as important, as the males use a lot of energy to breed females, and they can start to refuse food and lose weight.
Cycling and Preparation
Ball Pythons will often rely on seasonal changes and temperature cycling to help trigger reproductive activity. We start cycling our temperatures around the beginning of October; we take the night time temperatures into the mid 70s and slightly drop the day basking temperatures into around 85 degrees. We start to introduce males around the beginning of November. Females tend to show signs of cool seeking behavior as well. You could see them spending most of the time on the cool side, wrapping water dishes, or even looking a little more lumpy than usual. These could be signs that your female is starting to produce follicles. They also tend to “glow” a bit more after their pre‐ovulation shed, having almost a ghost like appearance.
Courting and Copulations
We have witnessed courting within the first 5 minutes to it taking overnight. The male will position himself to line up with the females’ body and use his anal spurs to tickle the female into submission. It usually will take a few separate copulations to achieve ovulation We cycle the males out every 4‐5 days and offer food to both the males and females when separated. We feel that getting a small meal in the male can help tremendously in his breeding efforts, especially if breeding multiple females throughout the season. It’s best not to over feed him though; fat males can make lazy breeders.
Typically male Ball Pythons reach sexual maturity around 6‐8+ months of age and a good breeding weight is typically around 500+ grams. Female Ball Pythons can reach sexual maturity around 2‐3+ years of age and around 1000+ grams. The size and weight of the females are critical in breeding, as the female has to be of proper size to pass eggs without becoming egg bound. The size of the male can also be just as important, as the males use a lot of energy to breed females, and they can start to refuse food and lose weight.
Cycling and Preparation
Ball Pythons will often rely on seasonal changes and temperature cycling to help trigger reproductive activity. We start cycling our temperatures around the beginning of October; we take the night time temperatures into the mid 70s and slightly drop the day basking temperatures into around 85 degrees. We start to introduce males around the beginning of November. Females tend to show signs of cool seeking behavior as well. You could see them spending most of the time on the cool side, wrapping water dishes, or even looking a little more lumpy than usual. These could be signs that your female is starting to produce follicles. They also tend to “glow” a bit more after their pre‐ovulation shed, having almost a ghost like appearance.
Courting and Copulations
We have witnessed courting within the first 5 minutes to it taking overnight. The male will position himself to line up with the females’ body and use his anal spurs to tickle the female into submission. It usually will take a few separate copulations to achieve ovulation We cycle the males out every 4‐5 days and offer food to both the males and females when separated. We feel that getting a small meal in the male can help tremendously in his breeding efforts, especially if breeding multiple females throughout the season. It’s best not to over feed him though; fat males can make lazy breeders.
Please only take the information given in any of our caresheets as general advice. They may not provide an exact answer to your particular reptiles problem and are to act as a general guide and 'heads-up' to keeping reptiles.
We cannot be held responsible for any problems your reptile encounters following the reading of these pages.
We cannot be held responsible for any problems your reptile encounters following the reading of these pages.