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Some of you already know I'm a snake keeper, and I'm about to be a snake grandma! My normal Ball Python Mona laid 7 beautiful eggs today (Tuesday), and they are safely incubating in my homemade 'bator... she mated with both a Pastel & Mojave, so I'm hoping for a two-daddy clutch. Anyway, here are some photos, and I'll let you all know when they hatch (in about 52 days).
How exciting! I can't wait to show my dh the pic. He's my reason I'm into reptiles now. We're up to 6 snakes and growing. Are you planning on keeping/selling the babies? Please PM me.
How exciting! I can't wait to show my dh the pic. He's my reason I'm into reptiles now. We're up to 6 snakes and growing. Are you planning on keeping/selling the babies? Please PM me.
It depends on what pops out, but I'll probably keep 1-2 babies and sell the rest... I'll send you a PM!
P.S. You've probably already discovered this, but I'll warn you that reptiles are addictive! I started with one ball python 18 months ago, and now have 21 pythons & colubrids - not including those 7 eggs.
Oh, and thanks to all for the comments! I'll update when they hatch, and post LOTS of photos I'm sure... keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well.
All right where are all the spay neuter, no muts allowed finatics that overtake the threads in the dog forum! I guess they only care about dogs, all the other breeding critters don't matter.
Now that I got that off my chest I feel much better.
I don't really get the reptile thing. You can't really play with them, and if you let them out, then you have to worry about them hiding somewhere that you can't get them back out of. But it just so happens that when I moved into my last apartment, the neighbor lady was into lizards. She had several different kinds. So she told my then 8 year old son about the Cleveland reptile show. So we went one month, and all the people were talking about all the different reptile pets they have. And it was just like you said, once they brought one home they needed many more. But I can see that, I have a dog (boxer) and I want more - I just can't get more cause I live in an apartment. And now my son has toads, frogs and turtles. Even before we met her, he had always wanted the fire belly toads, well since he was 5 anyway.
How did you get those eggs away from mama? And why did you put them in an incubator instead of leaving them with her? And did you put pen marks on the eggs so you would be able to keep them right side up? I think I saw on animal planet one time that reptile eggs can't be turned over or the babies will die.
Sorry so many questions, it's just fascinating to me. And with the 2 possible dads, what kind of color variations are you expecting/hoping for?
All right where are all the spay neuter, no muts allowed finatics that overtake the threads in the dog forum! I guess they only care about dogs, all the other breeding critters don't matter.
All I can say is, how many Ball Pythons are being euthanized in shelters every year? For that matter, how many snakes in general do you see in rescues? There are some, but most are Iguanas, Burmese Pythons, and other reptiles that get too big for people - who apparently didn't research before purchasing them. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Mojave Ball Python in any rescue nationwide, and if you did it'd be snatched up in 5 minutes! So it's hardly an issue of overpopulation, which is the case with dogs and cats (and the reason my four-legged pets are ALL fixed asap).
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I don't really get the reptile thing. You can't really play with them, and if you let them out, then you have to worry about them hiding somewhere that you can't get them back out of.
I don't get the whole fish thing, but to each his/her own. For me it's mostly aesthetic appeal, as I find snakes to be absolutely gorgeous - and so varied among the species. Plus they are gentle, peaceful creatures (for the most part), and their bad reputation is based on hype & media... if you've ever spent time handling a snake, particularly a Ball Python, you would know how soul-soothing it can be. They also have unique individual personalities, and happen to be VERY low-maintenance in their care. Feed once every 1-2 weeks, clean weekly, fill water as needed - no toys or training required, they don't suffer from separation anxiety, and you don't have to walk them.
As for losing a snake, that is a concern if you're not closely supervising "floor time." Each of my snakes gets to come out regularly (anywhere from once a month to daily, depending on the snake), and I keep a very watchful eye while they're out. I have had some escapees over the years, but luckily nobody has been lost permanently. And some enjoy being handled more than others, like my Western Hognose Charlotte, who craves attention almost daily... she's a tiny snake, so that only involves letting her crawl up & down my arms or the bed for 5-10 minutes. On the flip-side is my het Albino Rosalind, who huffs & puffs and can't wait to get back in her tub.
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How did you get those eggs away from mama?
I put a towel loosely over her head, and gently uncurled her from them... she hissed and fought me a little, but didn't try to bite or anything. She was too tired after delivering 7 eggs, and is typically an extremely gentle/sweet snake. After a quick bath and a brand new tub, free of the smell of her eggs, she perked right up and was ready to eat! She devoured two mice the following day, which is a key indicator that she wasn't stressed about it.
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And why did you put them in an incubator instead of leaving them with her?
Two reasons - One is that I can't maintain the necessary conditions for maternal incubation, as I'd have to keep her tub at exactly 89F with 100% humidity... since she lives in a rack with 3 other snakes, it also means I'd have to set up a whole new enclosure for her. Furthermore, with the climate where I live (SF Bay Area), it's already tough to maintain their usual 85F w/ 40-50% humidity.
Second reason is that moms don't eat during incubation, which can last 7-8 weeks, and she already hadn't eaten in over 2 months. While a snake can go that long without eating, it's certainly not the best thing for them. So to summarize, it was for both her health and the health of the eggs.
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And did you put pen marks on the eggs so you would be able to keep them right side up? I think I saw on animal planet one time that reptile eggs can't be turned over or the babies will die.
Yes, exactly. She laid in a pyramid shape, with 6 of them stuck together & the seventh on its own... I transferred them exactly as they were laid, and marked in case they were accidentally turned at any point. It's not automatic death if they're flipped, but can potentially cause a rupture in the developing fetus.
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Sorry so many questions, it's just fascinating to me. And with the 2 possible dads, what kind of color variations are you expecting/hoping for?
It's okay, I don't mind answering! Both of the potential fathers are what you call "co-dominant morphs," meaning each of their eggs have a 50/50 chance of being that morph... so if Toby is the dad we have 50% chance of pastels or normals with each egg, and with Julius it would be 50% Mojave. If both dads fertilized these eggs, I guess it becomes 1/3 Mojave, 1/3 Pastel and 1/3 Normal? They can't both fertilize ONE egg, so unfortunately no combination morphs with this clutch.
P.S. To satisfy your curiosity (and to make me drool), this is what you'd get if you mixed those two morphs... a mojave-pastel, aka "pastave" ball python. I do plan to make this combo in 2-3 years, once I raise up a female pastel or mojave from this season. It's basically a blushed-out (lighter) mojave, and can be quite stunning!
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My normal Ball Python Mona laid 7 beautiful eggs today (Tuesday), and they are safely incubating in my homemade 'bator... she mated with both a Pastel & Mojave, so I'm hoping for a two-daddy clutch. Anyway, here are some photos, and I'll let you all know when they hatch (in about 52 days).
You'd be hard-pressed to find a Mojave Ball Python in any rescue nationwide, and if you did it'd be snatched up in 5 minutes! So it's hardly an issue of overpopulation, which is the case with dogs and cats (and the reason my four-legged pets are ALL fixed asap).
For me it's mostly aesthetic appeal, as I find snakes to be absolutely gorgeous - and so varied among the species. Plus they are gentle, peaceful creatures (for the most part), and their bad reputation is based on hype & media... if you've ever spent time handling a snake, particularly a Ball Python, you would know how soul-soothing it can be. They also have unique individual personalities, and happen to be VERY low-maintenance in their care. Feed once every 1-2 weeks, clean weekly, fill water as needed - no toys or training required, they don't suffer from separation anxiety, and you don't have to walk them.
Both of the potential fathers are what you call "co-dominant morphs," meaning each of their eggs have a 50/50 chance of being that morph... so if Toby is the dad we have 50% chance of pastels or normals with each egg, and with Julius it would be 50% Mojave. If both dads fertilized these eggs, I guess it becomes 1/3 Mojave, 1/3 Pastel and 1/3 Normal? They can't both fertilize ONE egg, so unfortunately no combination morphs with this clutch.
