P. imperator reproduction

[Spoderman]

Hi,

I recently acquired a pair of P. imperators that are a little more than 4'.
Do any of you have experience in breeding these?
-At what size can they begin to reproduce?
-How do you couple the animals, for how long? (currently they are in different enclosures)
-What are the risks of cannibalism?
-What are the signs of successful insemination?
-Do pregnant females need special care?

Thanks

 

[Python]

I don't know about these days but they used to be quite commonly kept communally. I've never had any problems with cannibalism. They breed quite readily although I've never kept them long enough to produce babies myself. One of my friends (also a member here) has bred them several times although I'm not sure what the success rate was. I do know that you can keep them together though. Just make sure they are well fed and make sure you have one of each, boy and girl. That increases the chances of reproduction quite a bit. They'll do all the work so no worries there. As far as size, They can get pretty big. At 4 inches I'd say they have a wee bit more growing to do. They can get 5 or 6 inches if memory serves, maybe bigger. I haven't kept them myself in many years but maybe someone else can offer more useful info.