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Reproduction of the Burmese Python
Burmese pythons are sexually mature from 18 months to 4 years old. Breeding size is 6-9 feet (males) and 9 feet or more (females). The captive breeding season ranges from November through March. Feeding should be stopped at this time and a cooling period should be started. Your animals should be in top condition before any breeding is attempted. Breeding can be "suggested" by reducing the photo period to 8-10 hours of daytime and cooling the overnight temperatures to the mid 70s. You should introduce the female into the male's cage. Breeding in the wild also takes place during the rainy season. Many breeders mist their animals to emulate this. Females typically shed 14-20 days post-ovulation and eggs are generally laid 30 days following the shed. The average clutch size ranges from 20 to 80 or more eggs. With an incubation temperature of 88-90 degrees, the eggs should hatch in about 55-70 days.
Females should be about ten feet and males about eight feet long before they are bred. Before breeding, the pythons are treated to a cool (65 degrees F) temperature for one to two months. They are not fed during this time. It is thought that the cool temperatures will trigger ovulation in the females and increase hormone levels in the males leading to healthy sperm production. The female is fed frequently after the cooling period and after about three weeks is placed in the male's cage. They mate by internal fertilization and the mating will last for many hours. The female will not eat during the gravid period and during incubation of her eggs. She will lay 15-25 eggs about two to three months after mating. She will coil around the eggs and brood them by shivering. This twitching of the muscles probably increases the temperature of the clutch of eggs. Spaghnum moss can be added to maintain humidity of the eggs.