What's going on?

[Daigga]

So either I'm misreading signs or my expected timeline is a little off here. My biggest girl, Miranda, came to me in early October and was paired for the first time with me in late November. She had been bred by her previous owner who said she laid 8 eggs, which is all that I know about her previous history. She's locked up with my lesser bee 3 times, but now is where I'm confused. She's been looking very lumpy lately, which I thought was just my imagination. I peeked in on her again today, and I'm almost positive she looks very lumpy. She's also gearing up to go into shed, but no stuck tail or any other signs. I'm still trying to clear up some signs here; is she about to ovulate? The pictorial I've been using as a guide isn't quite lining up with what I'm seeing happening, and I could use some clarification on what's happening.

She's been hanging around the warm side of her tub, looks a little lumpy, going into shed, locked 3 times since late November. What am I seeing, or is there anything to see?

Sorry for bad lighting picture, I didn't want to disturb her too much;


also I think I'm bad at palpation. Felt nothing when I tried...

[Stewart_Reptiles]

This will give you an idea on the timeline http://ballpython.ca/gallery/breeding/

[grcforce327]

no stuck tail

Why are you expecting her tail, or any other snakes tail to get "stuck"?

[Daigga]

This will give you an idea on the timeline http://ballpython.ca/gallery/breeding/

That's the time line I had been using, but it still doesn't clear this up for me much. If I'm reading it correctly, it looks more like she's going into a lay than an ovulation?

[aalomon]

Why are you expecting her tail, or any other snakes tail to get "stuck"?

I believe he meant "tail suck".

[Daigga]

Yes, I meant tail suck. Sometimes I read fast and overlook things.

I've been examining the pictorial a little closer, and the part that's confusing it for me is that she's lumping, which is a pre-ovulation sign, but she's also going into shed and heat seeking, which is a pre-lay sign. It would make more sense that she's about to ovulate, since that falls into my timeline pretty well. If it's a lay instead, it would mean I missed her ovulation and it may also be possible that the eggs weren't produced by my male, and I don't know how likely that is. It's also very possible that I'm way over thinking it since this will be my very first clutch of eggs.

Here's a picture in a little better lighting. Does it look like I'm on par for an ovulation?


One last question, because I'm still very new at this and don't want to make any assumptions; if this is her about to ovulate, does that mean I'm done pairing her with my male, or should I get him in there again after she sheds?

[rlditmars]

Well there are two possible scenarios. Either you missed her Ovy or you didn't. Is she always staying on the warm side? When they are building they're are almost always off the heat source. Then there is bowl wrapping or just moving occasionally to the warm side to regulate things. Once they ovulate they stay on the heat. Judging from the picture, being pretty neatly coiled and going into shed, I am leaning towards you missed the ovy and this is prelay. One last thing you might try is to put the male with her. If she refuses to lock where she has always locked before, then again I would say she's already ovulated. Of course wait until she is done shedding first. Best of luck.