Reptiles Leopard Geckos

Today, I am going to talk to you about Ball Pythons and their Breeding.

Ball Pythons reach their sexual maturity at around three years old or about 1000+ grams. The ideal weight for a breeding Ball Python is 1500+ grams. At this weight they are more likely to lay more eggs. In the Herpetology, we call eggs a clutch. Each female is different in that they do not lay the same amount from one to another. A normal clutch of eggs is around 6-7. A female in prime condition can lay around 10-12 eggs.

Breeding season in Ball Pythons starts when the temperatures drops and the Moisture level increases. I keep my temps at about 85 during the day and about 75 at night. This time usually occurs around November, and lasts till around January. Eggs are usually hatched out around April to May. Most breeders will artificially incubate the eggs to control temps and moisture better, although some will leave the eggs with the female to hatch them out. The problem with this method is it's hard to control the environment.

The overall time it takes from copulation to birth is about 7 months 21 days. This varies though, with when your introducing the female to the male and when you start changing the environment.

I hope you enjoyed this post and if you have any further questions, visit our site. You will find some additional facts there as well as snakes, and books for sale. While visiting the site be sure to become a member of the Ball Python Forum.

Eric Rovegno
http://www.ballpythonplanet.com