How to Breed Ball Pythons

Last Updated: February 14, 2023 Approved

Ball pythons are very popular as pets. Much of this popularity is due to the amazing number of color mutations. There are now over 3000 different, distinctive color and pattern combinations that have been created by selective breeding most commonly known as "morphs". Ball pythons tend to be curious and friendly.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preparing to Breed

1
Make sure they have reached maturity before breeding. It is important that the animals you intend to breed are old enough and large enough. A male typically needs to weigh over 700 grams (24.7 oz) and be at least one year old. Evidence of maturity can be determined by expressing a sperm plug. Gentle pressure on the cloaca (the vent at the back of the snake) will produce a little white, cheesy matter that will tell the male is ready. While females as small as 1,200 grams (42.3 oz) have been successfully bred,^{[1]
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Research source} most breeders recommend that females be at least 3 years old and 1,700 grams (60 oz) in order to breed. The process is too demanding on smaller animals and represents a health risk.
2
Determine the sex. It is best to be sure of the sex of the animals you intend to breed. This can be determined by probing. There are video tutorials available that teach the process. This can be dangerous to the animal, so do not probe a snake without first having received proper instruction; or call in an expert.^{[2]
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Research source} Female snakes will probe to a depth of only 3 or 4 scales. Males will generally probe to 7-9 scales. It is possible to get a false positive for a female if the snake is constricting itself sufficiently to prevent the probe from achieving full penetration.

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3
Provide a cooling-off period. In order to become fertile, a cooling-off period is required.^{[3]
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Research source} The ambient air temperature at night needs to be in the mid 70s (F) low 20s (C) for a period of about a three months. The warm spot in the cage AT NIGHT should be reduced to low to mid 80s (F) low 30s (C), during the day temperatures should return to normal temperature in the high 80s (F). The idea is to replicate the weather conditions of winter in Central Africa. This short cool spell whispers sweet nothings into the brains of these beautiful creatures and tells them that Spring is coming and new life needs to be created.
- During the cooling off period, periodically introduce the male and the female. Have them together for a few days, then apart for a few days. They may try to breed at that time but it won't take. Still, it is a good sign.
4
Warm it up again. After the cool spell, the temperatures can be returned to normal. Good temperatures for ball pythons produces perspiration on most humans.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Breeding

1
Produce male excitement. Many male ball pythons also require some extra stimulus stimulation to put them in the mood. The simplest way to do this is to put a number of males together. They will start to notice each other, and raise themselves up in to a nearly vertical stance. Somewhere there is a photograph of six or eight male ball pythons that look like they are dancing. This process really gets them interested in connecting with the opposite sex. Ten to twenty minutes of this activity greatly increases the males' interest in females.
2
Introduce the female to the male. After introducing them, the best thing is to leave them alone and let nature take its course. Occasionally they may scrap a little, but actual injuries seem to be very rare. Normally they will settle down in a few minutes and the two animals will connect.
3
Leave them alone. Ball pythons can stay connected for up to two days. It's all right to peek at them, but try not to disturb them. They are in no hurry. They can take a long time to complete this important step. Anything short of a three or four hour coupling is likely to prove ineffective.
4
Wait. A male ball python needs about a week to recover his potency. If you have more than one female to breed him to, give him a week or so to recover.
5
Wait some more. The sperm that the male deposits in the female can remain viable for up to 2 years.
6
Look for signs that the female is becoming gravid, meaning you can see the outline of the eggs inside of her.^{[4]
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Research source} Once you see that, no need to keep introducing them to each other.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Taking Care of the Female

1
Prepare the lay box. Get the female a lay box, for example, a Rubbermaid box with damp moss. She will lay eggs and coil around them.
2
Remove the eggs. Remove the female from the eggs, gently, and place them in incubation substrate inside a container (Rubbermaid box with a lid).^{[5]
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Research source}
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Ensure temperature is good. Set the incubator to 90 °F (32 °C), 32 C. Check the eggs once a week to make sure they good. At this time when you lift the lid to check eggs, they will get air so you don't have to put air holes in the incubation container.
4
Feed the female. If the female does not eat, try washing her to remove the scent of the eggs. It is important she starts to eat again since laying takes a lot out of her.
5
Eggs should hatch in about 55 days after laying.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Taking Care of the Babies

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Put the babies in their own cage. Babies after hatching should be put in their own separate cages lined with damp paper towel until their first shed. Then you can use newspaper or other substrate.
2
Feed pinkie mice. Babies start eating pinkie mice within the first week or two and should be fed every five to seven days.
3
Babies should also have a water bowl and a hide just like adults.

Community Q&A

Question

Why do you remove the mother from her eggs?

Community Answer

One reason is to check for infertile eggs. Sometimes not all eggs in a clutch are fertile. Putting these infertile eggs in the incubator isn't any good because they will just rot. Infertile snake eggs tend to be smaller and more yellow than fertile eggs.
Question

Should I put the male into the female tank or the opposite?

Community Answer

I find putting them in a breeding tank or separate tank other than their own is better.
Question

Do I have to have a digital thermometer for my egg incubator to measure the heat?

Community Answer

You don't necessarily have to, but I would strongly recommend getting one to ensure the eggs stay at the proper temperature.

Warnings

Never feed during the time they are together. They could end up fighting over the food item, and it is far too distracting.

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Use extreme care when performing sex determination probes. Serious damage can be done by the untrained. A veterinarian would much rather perform the procedure than try to repair a poorly done one.

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