First clutches of 2022

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Not such a great first clutch of the year but a couple of them had veins and I’m hopeful that those two will make it

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What temperatures do your adults have, how many locks?
Too hot can kill sperm/fertility.
also what was the female size/age/condition.
But good luck. I hope a few may make it.
Watch for mold and smell, that will tell you whats happening.
Just an opinion. Hope you prove me wrong. :slight_smile:

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Her hotspot is usually high 80’s up close to 90 but she was in a V70 tub so she had plenty of room to get off the heat. She’s around 6 years old and had at least 3 to 4 locks. I never seen her ovulate and wasn’t expecting her to lay this soon so it was a surprise to open up the tub to eggs. In the seasons before my earliest females to lay was usually around April so I was expecting March at the earliest

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I am no Ball python expert, but I have read a lot about temperatures of near or at 90s risking killing most sperm and raising the risk of slugs.

Regardless of outside temps in the area, these animals are underground in a humid environment, both depth and humidity (humidity causing cooling due to evaporation) reduce ambient temperature
(or depth raises temperature in much cooler northern climates which is not relevant to this point, more relevant to hibernation temps in cold climates for other snakes.).

The point is depth reduces extreems in outside temps…

Alot of recommendations for late breeding temps are 88 max.
Some like Robert Barraclough who lives in the tropics uses only 83f very successfully.

Cool testies are important for us humans too in fertility. Thats why they are external and so can be cooler than out body temperature.

I want to learn so any challenge to those numbers please would be appreciated.

Their really isn’t a one size fits all in balls pythons. The climates vary too much throughout the world and some people doesn’t even use a heat source and use ambient room temps only for their ball pythons and have successful breeding in all conditions. It is also possible that the female didn’t even use the sperm from my male due to her being bought as an adult from someone who had been pairing her before she was sold. It’s a long shot but if that was the case that could have played a part in mostly slugs. I’ve never had a slug up until this female so I’m led to believe it’s something to do with the male or female and not the conditions of living or “heat”. I’ve also done my research over the last few years of breeding and paid attention to bigger breeders and realized that none of the information was exactly the same but tailored to what works for them based around the same general idea and that’s what they will all tell you is do what works for you