Lets Talk about Reptiles !

The Amazing Ball Python

Ball pythons are a great choice for a first time breeder to learn the details about reptile breeding. Ball pythons are general well tempered heavy bodied snakes that grow to a maximum size of 4-5 feet. Ball Pythons have become very popular and are available in many color and pattern morphs today. I will try to give a brief explanation of basic breeding requirements. So sit back grab a cup of coffee and enjoy your article. 

Male or Female Ball Python ?

The first basic requirement for breeding is to make sure you have two healthy Ball Pythons of opposite sex. I highly recommend a year of learning basic care requirements before attempting breeding . There are 2 ways to determine the sex of a ball python , Popping and probing. Popping is accomplished by forcing the hemipenes of the male to invert and positively identify the snake as male. The absence of hemipenes indicates a female but needs to be done correctly . Popping is relatively easy but you should learn from an experienced handler. Probing is done with a set of specially designed sexing probes that are inserted into the cloaca and into the base of the tail . The distance the probes travel will determine the sex and is a very delicate procedure. Probing should also be done by someone with experience to prevent damage to the sex organs. A male has a deeper channel and the channel will be 8-12 subcaudal scales . A female has a relatively shallow channel and will only probe 3-4 subcaudal scales. I  prefer popping over probing and is very accurate when done correctly. Popping is much easier when done as hatching’s but is possible in adults. Once you have two Ball Pythons of opposite sex your ready for the next consideration.

When is a Ball Python ready to breed ?

There is allot of controversy over the right age and weight to breed a Ball Python. I consider 1500 grams and 3 years of age the minimum for females . Males can and will breed at 1 year or less but I recommend 500 grams as a minimum weight . Older males of 2-3 years and 1000 grams are more successful than young males in my experience. Egg laying and breeding is very taxing for Ball Pythons and it is not uncommon for females to lose 50% of their body weight when laying eggs. Which brings us to the next section ….Health and weight .

Healthy Ball Python ?

I would recommend being very selective about the Ball Pythons you use in a breeding project. They must be in top condition and weight before any breeding is considered . Some issues to keep in mind when picking breeders are , soft stools , poor sheds, poor weight , runny vents , and anything that strikes you as unhealthy. We will now talk about what I consider the pre breeding season and why it is so important.

Pre Breeding for Ball Pythons ?

We start to get our females ready for the breeding season from June-September for the beginning of breeding in October. Females weights are recorded in June and extra meals are given through September to achieve a healthy weight. Many times females will go off feed and will not be used that season if a healthy weight cannot be achieved. Females must be in top breeding condition to be considered for that season. Males also need to be healthy but weight is not as critical for males. I would not breed an underweight or unhealthy  male but excess weight for males does not seem to be as critical . So now you have a pair of healthy breed-able sexed Ball Pythons that have been prepared for breeding  . We will now get into the details of the process and what will be required to have a successful clutch of eggs .

Temperature requirements for maintaining  Ball Pythons !

The basic temperature for a Ball Python should be a varied temperature to offer a Thermal Gradient . A thermal gradient is a term used that allows the snake to self regulate itself. A hot spot of 90 degrees needs to be at one end of the enclosure and a cooler spot of 80 degrees and the opposing end. This allows the Ball Python to regulate its temperature  to its needs . This is a normal temperature setup for maintaining a ball python in good health. We keep these temps from march - September as a maintenance temperature setting 24-7 . We use belly heat in the form of heat tape set to 95 degrees that gives the tubs a 90 degree hot spot. Breeding requires a lowering of temps to encourage the changing of season and entices breeding. OK go refill your coffee …….On to breeding temperatures !

Temperature Requirements for breeding Ball Pythons !  

Ok you sexed your pair or pairs and put them through a pre breeding season . You fed them correctly and assured their health and heated them properly and now its September and you want to start your breeding. The

ball Pythons react to temperature changes and the coming of the new season . We lower our Temperatures 10 degrees at night beginning Sep 1st. They continue to receive the 90 degree hot spot and 95 degree tape temp during the day. We slowly lower night time temps to 75-80 degrees for 12 hours a night  and maintain this drop until March 1st. The lowering of temperatures signals the females to start developing follicles which is the beginning stages of egg development and signals the males that breeding season has arrived . Starting October 1st we introduce males into female tubs from Mon-Fri for breeding . The males are removed on Friday night and males and females are offered food and rested the weekend. We continue this cycle through March 1st. A mid body swell will be noticed in females that is referred to as ovulation and last from 8-24 hours usually. An obvious ovulation will end the pairing for that female with a male and she is considered done for the season . If everything went as planned the male delivered viable sperm and the ova will be fertilized and develop into fertile eggs. We keep very accurate records showing the snakes paired when copulations were witnessed and obvious ovulation . Now what ? Onto egg laying and incubation !

When will my Ball Python lay eggs ?

When the eggs are fertilized will determine when they will be laid unfortunately that can be hard to determine. A Pre -Ovulation shed will occur and the eggs will be laid in approximately 30 days . The female may shed multiple times before egg laying occurs . We record every shed and expect eggs after every shed until eggs are laid and then onto the incubation process ! To be continued !

I was at a friends place the other day that is a local breeder and owns Rons Reptiles . Ron and Donna are great people and run a top notch facility and have a great collection. We were shooting the breeze and he passed on to me a contest going at www.zootoo.com that will bring the lucky facility a million dollar makeover. The butte humane society is a great facility that really serves the community and very worthy of a great prize. I went to www.zootoo.com and gave them my vote and I encourage you to do the same. You can enter a facility you feel is worthy and hope our input will help butte humane society. The humane society are in desperate need of a makeover and the animals deserve a top notch facility. So get over there and join in the attempt to bring this million dollar prize to butte county.

Investing ?

You hear this term allot on many forums with lots of ideas and opinions. Do the prices drop almost every year ? Do you have the passion to stay focused and stay with your projects? will you get rich overnight ? do I really care about the animals or the almighty dollar ? I will give you my take on the subject , it may or may not be your opinion but that’s OK.

I’m going to get rich!

If you read on someone site or forum “invest and make a pile of money ” remember the old saying if it sounds to good to be true it probably is. There’s allot of truth to that saying , I still believe you can make money for your hard work. If you are considering ball python breeding as a get rich quick project, think again. You really need to have that passion and love for these amazing reptiles first and foremost or you will never succeed. There’s more to it than buying a couple morphs and breeding them and selling them for a profit. I don’t mean to pop your bubble I just want to be honest about what to expect. 

Just a short list of cost to consider

1. Feed Production
2. Caging
3. Substrate
4. Electricity
5. Veterinary care
6. Time , Lots of time
7. Website Development ………More Time
8. Advertisements
9. Reptile Shows
10. Incubator   

Breeding isn’t for everyone but it might be for you

OK did I scare you off yet ! if not than you may be passionate like me and will have those cost regardless. I love walking into my reptile room and get that I’m at the zoo feeling! I would keep and breed ball pythons weather i made a single dollar or not. If you have this same attitude you may as well make a few bucks and use it to pay for your hobby or build some supplemental income. will it happen overnight “No” , Can it happen “yes” it certainly can. the more effort you put into your projects the better your chances of success will be. Be aware of the market and plan accordingly for success.

The Price drop

The ball python market over the last few years has adjusted and many morphs that were high dollar morphs have really dropped in price. Some wine and moan and complain but its a market like any other market. The supply and demand drives any market and it will always be that way. Some feel tho drops in prices are bad some think its good. Here’s my take on the dropping prices! Lets use pastels as an example of a market swing. It wasn’t that long ago pastels were $5000.00 and basically the only sales were being made to breeders. How many people were able to lay down $5000.00 ? The prices have dropped to $200.00 and everyone that paid those big bucks are depressed. The drop in prices has made the demand grow because the guy with a couple hundred to spend can now grow his collection. would we all like to be getting $5000.00 of course. Would we make as many sales ? (Probably not)!  The production of all the pastels drove the value down but drove the demand up which is a good thing. The ball python market is growing every year and we haven’t even touched the overseas market yet.

Co dominant vs Simple Recessive

Co doms are the quick morph and quick buck but as you can see from the pastels the market will adjust ! In my opinion the simple recessive morphs will hold there value just due to the time frame. With a Co dom like spiders you can get a baby male and a handful of female adult normals and be producing morphs in 1 year. Simple Recessives and double hets are the ticket for the long run! They take longer to produce therefore the production is lower and the demand stays high. I feel the simple recessive morphs under $1500.00 are the best market. You have to try to buy morphs in the highest bracket you can afford to produce babies that have a decent value after 3 years. Lets say you can afford a male and female Lavender Albino pair as babies. It will most likely be 3 years before the female is ready to breed . You can produce hets with the male in the first year or maybe two. The time factor is something you really need to consider and realize the market will change in 3 years.

To be continued !

Winterize and inspection !

Its that time of the year again and your vehicle needs to be prepared for winter ! Im just going to make this a short read for a quick reference. Below will be a few tips and checks to be made for your safety and save you money!

Wiper Blades 

Wiper blades are one of the most overlooked items to be inspected annually. They have spent a long hot summer baking away and slowly deteriorating to a useless state. I have had to charge customers many times for blades that were stuck to the glass. They cook all summer and become glued to the glass and the first time it rains you turn them on. What can happen ? The motor amperage spikes blows the fuse and the wipers stop working. You take your car to a repair shop and they charge you 1hr diagnosis for an electrical failure. They find the blown fuse after the diagnosis replace the fuse and break the wipers free. You get charged 1hr diagnosis for the fuse and charged for a fuse, new wipers, and installation. What did it cost you . The other option could have been they broke free and the worn rubber falls off and puts a nice big scratch in the glass.

1hr labor $90.00 ,List price on wipers and fuse $32.00 , A scary ride in the rain with no wipers !

A 5 second inspection and a stop at Walmart or Kragens would have been about $15.00   Dont overlook the possibility of a accident because your wipers are worn and making it hard to see during a downpour.

Tires

Take the time to inspect all 4 tires and the spare for the correct air pressure and wear. As it gets cooler outside your tire pressure will drop and should be adjusted. Look at the tread depth, the wear,  and sidewall condition for cracks. A marginal tire that seemed fine during the dry hot summer may fail to hold traction under cold wet conditions and put you at risk of a spin out. Check the pressure in the spare and be prepared by making sure your jack and lug wrench are accessible. Proper air pressure is not the spec on the tire, check the door sticker or your owners manual for proper inflation. Proper tire inflation will also increase your fuel mileage so take advantage !

What is the Big Boys Syndrome?

That’s what I refer to a breeder that has grown so popular or his collection is so large trying to keep that image of the king of the hill. There are bound to be few of us that one day will find our way to the top of that pile but just remember where you started and how it was to be at the bottom. I just wonder how a breeder stays on top of a 5000 breeder collection? I couldn’t tell you how many times I sent E mails to these big time breeders with a question about a snake for sale and receive a response a week or two later. To me when your collection or business gets to the point that your customer service suffers , its time to scale back. I have had Big time Breeders that were happy to take my money for their animals for sale but didn’t have the time of day to help me as a new breeder and potential competitor. Its my goal to always treat every customer the same weather they are buying a $200.00 pastel or a $10000.00 morph. I have learned from these breeders to be open minded and help that new breeder. Your doing good if you can get someone to post your banner once you become a competitor. You go from being there best buddy with their hand open to your enemy ! I have learned from this mentality and will do my best to always be available for others. This is not a flame towards specific breeders just a an issue I have observed personally. Quality is the answer to this problem folks !

Selective Breeding !

This is the key to be a success in a very competitive market ! If you dont have the room or time to devote to a huge collection be very picky about quality and it will pay off. If you have the best animals available at maybe a slightly higher price with premium customer service you hit a home run. Try to purchase the most quality babies you can find and breed them to quality stock and your good reputation will follow. Anyone can buy a spider and a bunch of run of the mill normals and produce spiders. Be selective and find the best spider you can even if it cost you extra. Buy your females with distinct pattern in mind and build your quality every season. Remember to treat others the same as you would like to be treated and you will reap the benefits long term. If I ever become a big boy which i would love, I will remember this post and be grounded and remember how it felt to be blown off by the reptile elite! Be selective and produce quality stock at a fair price with the best customer service is the key to the top!

This is the #1 reason our forum was created The Ballbusters Breeders Club ! Located on our site under message board www.westcoastpythons.com . I have been a poster on many reptile boards and just got really tired of the drama and lack of respect towards others. The biggest reason most people come to reptile forums or any forum for that matter is to learn about a certain subject. Our forum offers a place for all questions and will be answered in a respectful and helpful manner period. We all started as newbies with no experience and we should share that experience with others. Many forums have a select few that like to flame on others for basic questions like “My snake wont eat what should I do? “ Thats a valid question and does not deserve a response like “Go read a book” . These type of disrespectful comments will never be tolerated on our forum. Every question deserves a helpful and knowledgeable response and there will be ! I cant tell you how many arguments I have witnessed over someones spelling ! If you don’t spell a word correctly we don’t care ! These forums can be very harsh on new comers to the hobby and that’s just plain sad!  Im sure there are lots of people that have walked away from the hobby because of this type of treatment . Our forum will be friendly and helpful and I have control of the Ban user button and it will be used on flamers. We want to encourage others to be successful in the hobby and help them whenever we can. We can have differences of opinion but that doesn’t mean we need to disrespectful or hateful. So come to our forum and ask the most general question to the most advanced and we will do our best to give you good solid answers . There is no dumb question , if you have a question that shows you have the desire to learn about your reptile. the more you learn the better your chances are to provide quality care to your reptile !

Reptile Radio rocks what else can i say !

For those that have been to the site www.westcoastpythons.com you already know how I promote reptile radio. Reptile radio is a free Internet radio show with a weekly guest including some of the biggest and most experienced breeders in the industry. www.Blogtalkradio.com/reptileradio Blogtalk Radio  is the site that host thousands of live radio talk shows. Larry Suttles and Brian Taylor are the host of the reptile radio show and if you have never listened to a show your missing out. In the infancy of the show it started as a 60 min show and now has increased to 90 min. the show has been a featured show many times on blogtalk radio and that’s a huge accomplishment. A call in line is available to ask questions to the guest and e mails can be sent to be read during the show. Many times they have given us a plug on the show and we appreciate it. This is the most innovative reptile venue to come along in a long time and I see big things to come for the show. We have made a weekly chat available during the show on our site www.westcoastpythons.com and is a good time to share our opinions. Larry and BT really bend over backwards to give the small breeders a voice by allowing us to promote our sites during the show which is uncommon in this industry. So I tip my hat Larry and BT they really are the true gentleman of the industry. If you haven’t taken the time to listen to  a show I highly recommend it. The shows can also be downloaded and you can listen at your leisure. I load them to my I pod and listen while cleaning tubs or in the rat room. Take the time to check it out you wont be sorry!

Reading for reptiles is a reading program in development that will be a huge help to the reptile hobby. I will be writing up modules based on what I feel are good beginner reptiles. There will be a contract agreement signed by parent and child. The child will agree to read all the modules and pass required quizes, This will insure they understand how to care for thier reptile. The whole purpose is two fold, it encourages reading in young children and promotes education . Reptiles have a way of captivating young minds and by teaching the care requirements they can feel confident in their ability to take care of the chosen reptile. What’s in it for the child? the parents sign there contract agreeing to allow the child to choose a reptile from the modules and pay for the reptile and complete setup as a reward for the hard work. We have been given offers already from a few breeders for free reptiles to kids that complete the program. We encourage reading and teaching the youngsters what a valueable resource reptiles are. A reluctant parent may agree to allow a reptile if they feel the child worked hard to become educated on the care of the reptile. We have the first module close but feel some graphics need to be added to entice the readers. We will keep you posted on the progress but feel this is a worth while project. Check Out The Reading For Reptiles Page !

Hi all you reptile junkies , I just wanted to give this a try and seee what blogging is all about. I can basically ramble and not have to worry if I put the comma in the right spot or if I have a 2 page run on sentence. I want to try to write some long informative articles that will always be accessible to everyone . This is my first attempt at a blog so bare with me . I read a bunch of keyword optimization articles that basically helps you draw traffic to your site. I feel the forum is growing at a decent rate ! the last few months we were getting like 25 unique visitors per day and yesterday we had 75 . A 200 percent increase ain’t bad ! This is a blog software and required a database to be setup on the server its called wordpress and seems to be fairly easy to use. I want to add lots of articles and may add other separate blogs for other interesting subjects. I really have been hard at finding ways to drive traffic to the forum and have learned a lot. You all could help by posting those banners in your signatures on other forums. You cant post about another forum usually they will pull the post and give you a warning. Banners in signatures are allowed and very effective at driving traffic. I just wanted to get a post going to see how I like the software and seems to be pretty cool. I will be using this in the future for a day in the life of a reptile junkie type daily blog just for your entertainment!  We have a blog folks!

Introduction !

I would like to welcome parents to the Reading for reptiles program. My name is Bryan Brown and Im the owner of West Coast Pythons. We are ball python breeders in northern california and I have been involved with reptiles since I was a kid. Im now a parent a father and a grandfather and really think our reading program has something to offer todays youth. Please stay open minded and realize our mission is to encourage kids to read. We believe our program has the abbility to captivate the interest of the young mind . This is a free program with absolutely no financial requirement from you to participate.

What is the program about ?

I myself struggled as a child to become a accomplished reader . I have really wanted to figure out a way to incorporaate my knowledge of reptiles into a service to our community. I had given a few presentations at my childrens classrooms and then realized how the reptiles effect kids in a positive way. Reptiles really interest kids and captivate their attention which is not an easy task. The bell went off and this is what enticed me to develop the reading program. We will try our best to write in a style that will be at a adolesant level and keep them motivated to finish the program. Included in the program will be a vocabulary word fun sheet that we hope will help with word recognition. There will be many activities that will encourage reading and retention of subject. We have developed some characters that will be used to narrate part of each module and important points. We introduce to you our mascots Lenny the Lizard and Sally Snake !

Sally the Snake !