Things You'll Need
- Pastel ball python
- Cinnamon ball python
- Reptile enclosure, 20 gallons or larger
- Water bowl or dish
- Aspen shavings
- Hide box
- Heat source
- 2 to 4 medium-size mice
Instructions
Verify that the pastel ball python and cinnamon ball python that you want to mate are able and healthy enough to breed. If the pythons eat and drink regularly and also shed their skin in one piece, then they are healthy enough to breed. The male snake needs to be at least 6 months old and weigh more than 500g. The female snake should be at least 18 months old and weigh more than 1200g.
Supply a 20-gallon or larger reptile enclosure with an adequate water bowl or dish, aspen shavings, hide box and heat source, such as a heat lamp or heating stone. The temperature inside the reptile enclosure should be 75 to 90 F. Use a water bowl or dish in which each snake can soak its body. If you use a heating stone, it is OK to leave it on all day and all night. A heat lamp requires a daytime light bulb and a nighttime light bulb because ball pythons are primarily nocturnal. The hide box should be big enough for both the female and male pythons.
Feed both pythons 1 or 2 medium-size mice at least one week before they mate.
Place both pythons in the same reptile enclosure if they aren't already, and turn off the enclosure's heat source. Turning off a heat source causes adult snakes to group together to get warm. The temperature inside the enclosure should drop about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. At that point, the male and female snakes should mate, although it may take one or more weeks.