How do I know it's a lock?

[MorphMaster]

Now I know this question has been asked a lot, and I fully understand the textbook answer, but I want to go further in depth; I have been thinking about the locks I've seen with my snakes this year with perfect, textbook tail wraps, hanging close together, etc., but I've recently wondered how I could know whether they were actually copulating. As in, maybe they're just sitting in perfect formation without actual copulation, just wrapped up. My question for experienced breeders is how do you know? Besides lifting up a tail which is extremely dangerous! I would think that it'd be talked about, but I haven't really seen or heard of it, just is this a lock stuff... And the response being look at how the tails are wrapped, that's a lock. So I hope to go a little more in depth with this.

Also, while I'm here, I've been wondering about a pair of mine locking up... I saw two lock ups a month and a half ago (hopefully were copulating as seen above) and I paired them again three weeks later and got a bunch of tracks but no seen locks, but they were always close together, and I viewed it as a maybe lock up so I paired again in two weeks (would've been one but a shed was in place), and Ive just seen a bunch of tracks no locks yet. Is that enough to believe there was a lock? I know it shows interest but there must've been a lot of interest by the number of tracks lol . I'm just wondering about this, as far as when you guys count it. Thank you all very much!

[Zombie]

When you see the males tail underneath the females and turned upside down so there vents are together, thats a lock. Count that. If you see signs of scenting and what not but no visual lock, dont count that. They may have locked and unlocked over night and you just didnt see it, but unless you see it, it doesn't count.

As far as "knowing" if they are copulating, the lock is sufficient. Dont mess with them in an attempt to see for yourself

There really isnt any more to it than that. I know thats not necessarily what you wanted to see but thats just kind of how it is

[kylearmbar]

Sometimes you can actually see the hemipene penetrating if they are at an angle you can see. I wouldn't try to see if you can't see at fear of making them seperate accidently

[steve_r34]

im having no luck this year i seen a possible lock but that was it and it was so long ago nothing happened ive been throwing 2 males at my female this year .. but i work 2 jobs 7 days a week so im hardly ever home to see anything .. but what i do see a lot is my males laying on top of my females a lot like cuddling .. is that a good sign? this is my 1st year breeding so its all a learning process right now .. no matter how much u read and watch theres nothing like going thru it yourself .. whats the avarage time of a lock ??

[ironpython]

Just pair them three days on and three days off and after about two weeks give him a week off then start back. Do this until she ovulates or just has nothing to do with him palpate and be watching for her to go off feed and start laying inverted wrapping the bowl and just generally staying on the cool side. Record all sheds and when she ovulates you will know when she is about to lay she will be restless twisting her body in weird positions shes about to lay. Oh and watch for the glow its pretty dramatic so you will know.

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[kylearmbar]

im having no luck this year i seen a possible lock but that was it and it was so long ago nothing happened ive been throwing 2 males at my female this year .. but i work 2 jobs 7 days a week so im hardly ever home to see anything .. but what i do see a lot is my males laying on top of my females a lot like cuddling .. is that a good sign? this is my 1st year breeding so its all a learning process right now .. no matter how much u read and watch theres nothing like going thru it yourself .. whats the avarage time of a lock ??

You could try making the snakes " jealous" or rivals. Put them in with eachother for about 15 minutes. Put the other males shed in the females cage and even try placing the other males sperm plugs on the females back. To be successful a lock should last 10+ hours