feeling for follicles

I was just curious what the best way to do this is. I have tried on many occasions and can never seem to feel anything. Most of the time this is due to my females tensing up. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by sg1trogdor

I was just curious what the best way to do this is. I have tried on many occasions and can never seem to feel anything. Most of the time this is due to my females tensing up. Thanks.

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When you return the snake to it's enclosure, hang the front part of her in & let her return... hand in C shape down the lower 2/3 of her body. She'll be relaxing as she goes into her home. You will look like you're flattening her. You're feeling for lumps like a string of pearls in her lower half. It takes practice, feel some boys to compare with & after a bit it's easy to feel follicles at dime size or bigger. :gj:

Cool I have tried that method but never felt anything. I guess practice helps lol. Thanks.

You REALLY flatten them out in the lower half which looks weird but doesn't hurt them as they are relaxing into it. Yes, it does take practice. Good Luck!

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Originally Posted by sg1trogdor

Cool I have tried that method but never felt anything. I guess practice helps lol. Thanks.

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I hear a lot of people say this. This was my first year breeding and was able to feel follicles at every stage. I found that holding the female for a bit to let her relax works well. All snakes when I take them out are tense and moving around quite a bit. So letting them relax helps a lot. Do as others say and put her head in the tub and let her go into her home and use a "C" type hold on her body applying steady pressure. If she is scrambling into her enclosure fast, continue to hold her a bit longer so she calms down. I find that it is easier to feel the follicles if she is moving slowly through your fingers. It's kinda like driving fast over a bumpy road, you feel less bumps. If she moves slowly through your fingers you will feel pronounced lumps(normally evenly spaced also). Don't be affraid to apply pressure at this stage of follicle development, not to mention, if she is relaxed she will flatten herself out for you. Also, after ovulation I would not recommend palpating.

Ralph Davis has his videos on you tube showing this. If I remember it was call his pet project series. Hope that helps.

YouTube - Pet Project 08 - part 1 ( follicles )