Ball Python Snake Breeding

Just as in their native habitat in West-central Africa, ball pythons need subtle seasonal environmental changes in order to stimulate them to breed. "The Ball Python Manual" states that "kept at constant temperatures and photoperiods throughout the year, captive ball pythons seldom produce fertile eggs, even though they may mate." This makes getting a ball python to mate and produce fertile eggs a year-round process. It's also, in part, a lesson in trial and error. You may have to adjust your methods slightly to get your ball pythons to breed.

Things You'll Need

  • Seasonal environmental changes
  • Several snake enclosures
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Change the light available for ball pythons throughout the year. Give them 15 hours of light in the summer, 12 hours in the spring and fall, and nine hours in the winter.

    • 2

      Change the ambient temperature of the snakes' habitat seasonally. In the winter, keep the temperatures at 75 (at night) to 82 (during the day) degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer, increase the high end of the daytime temperatures to 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 3

      Allow males to live together. This stimulates them to become combative and fight to woo a female. Mostly the "fighting" involves a lot of maneuvering and bluffing; it rarely involves actual biting. Do supervise the interactions at first and remove any snakes that actually bite.

    • 4

      Place one or two males and three to six female into the same enclosure during the winter. Mating typically occurs in January and again in March. The enclosure needs to be at least 60 gallons in size.

    • 5

      Separate the snakes into their individual (or group) enclosures after the March mating. Each female needs her own enclosure during this time.

    • 6

      Allow the female to care for her eggs, which may be laid in April or May. Keep her enclosure between 86 and 91 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels high.

    • 7

      Move the baby snakes to their own enclosure as soon as they hatch. Set it up as you would for an adult ball python.