Was going to start pairing next month, but noticed a lot of bowl wrapping and think she’s feeling a little lumpy (my first time, so I’m not sure)
Put our 550 gram male in … she’s 2250 grams
I’ve never produced a single ball python, but I’ve produced at least a dozen other species, including other pythons. That girl looks like she’s either overweight, ovulating or already gravid, to me. More experienced P. regius keepers may not agree, but I’d bet a dollar on ovulation, especially if the timing seems right to you.
I’ll be attempting my first run with balls next spring.
The picture quality isn’t the best so I can’t really give insight on how she looks
She’s not ovulating and since you just started paring odds are she’s not gravid.
I’d be very careful here. If this is your first time breeding I personally wouldn’t use such a small male.
How can you tell? I’m genuinely asking. I have experience with breeding a lot of snake species, but not this one, as odd as it may seem to those who keep nothing else.
I’m genuinely asking, because you sound pretty certain about that.
Again, I’m curious as to your reasoning here. Is it because the OP is not not an experienced breeder, or do you feel like that’s too small for a male royal to be breeding? Or is it something entirely else? Carpet python females will occasionally kill and eat a male they don’t care for, small or not, if one does not keep an eye on them. Ringed python females seem to eat males when they get bored with them, or just for kicks. Is it because of possible injury or munching?
Ball pythons look like they swallowed a football when they ovulate. And it’s only visible for 24 hours. Also op said she’s still bowl wrapping which indicates building.
Smaller males have trouble when going off feed during breeding. They don’t have the extra weight to spare and are still growing. It’s incredibly hard on them and not something I recommend for someone with zero experience.
Also in my experiences small males produce reduced fertility rates. This is my personal experiences here zero scientific evidence to back it up lol
You’re absolutely right. I meant to say it looks to me like a snake with developing follicles, (Or she’s overweight. ) darn near or ready to be bred; Not that she was undergoing the specific event of ovulation. I guess they call it “building” in the jargon these days. Again, I haven’t bred them, but I’ve seen hundreds if not thousands of them. That girl looks pretty chonky to me. Thanks for the help @saleengrinch
Again, thanks, solid reasoning. I hope it helps the OP too, it certainly has me.
I don’t even really want to get involved in this species, but my partner/boss/girlfriend of twenty years said we had to.
Always happy to!
He has always been our best eater. If he stops we plan to segregate him and stop the project. He is our only male that has reached the size that I have seen many people here say is breed able.
He most likely will I have very few males that will eat straight through the breeding season. Honestly your better off waiting to 700 to 800 grams.
