Big female laying on her side

I have recently rescued a fairly large (older) female bp. Lately she has been laying on her side and occasionally completely inverted. She ate an adult male rat on Tuesday and is currently beginning to shed (had a pink belly the last few days and is now blue). I'm seeing no signs of star gazing and I see no signs of an RI. Could this all be due to her recent meal or upcoming shed? I have never seen any of my other bp's do this. Your comments are much appreciated!

Thanks,

That sounds like an indication that she may be ovulating or possibly gravid :confuzd:

I am not a breeder, but I have read that females will do that sometimes right before they lay their clutch. You might want to see a vet, but I would probably withhold any further meal offerings until you know for sure.

Oh, and start looking for an incubator and some vermiculite etc... You might need it sooner than you think :O

These might help.....

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...nverted+female

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...nverted+female

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...nverted+female

I know you said she isnt doing any star gazing, but there are many different signs of IBD from all the reading I have been doing, and this is one of them. Not to scare you or anything but I would get her to a vet just to make sure. :(

I have a male ball python that lays upside down all the time. I would not worry about it if she is eating and all that stuff. A lot of the time after a big meal they will do that. As the first poster requested, she could just be gravid.

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Originally Posted by twistedtails

I have a male ball python that lays upside down all the time. I would not worry about it if she is eating and all that stuff. A lot of the time after a big meal they will do that. As the first poster requested, she could just be gravid.

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I qt'd her for several weeks, then tried introducing one of my young male pastels to her (he's been producing plugs, so I figured what the heck). I know this is against the "rules" of bringing new bp's into your collection, but she seemed healthy as a horse and it's a risk I decided to take. My male was with her for two days, then I noticed her going into shed, so I pulled my male as to not stress her out during shed. Shortly after that, I noticed she started laying on her back and sides...not all the time, but randomly throughout the day.

I don't think she was with my male long enough to get 'knocked up' and i never witnessed copulation occuring (although they were in a odd position one morning). I have heard that large meals will cause this type of behaviour and she did eat a large male rat less than two days prior to this happening. I have decided not to feed her until after her shed...If things continue after that, I will take her to the vet.

Thanks for the advice thus far all! I hope I don't get too flamed this...

When a female is in shed they are more receptive to breeding.;) I would throw the male in. Females will lay upside down while developing follicles also, it does not take a male for her to produce follicles either. It just simply sounds like she had a big meal and is bit uncomfortable though. Good luck with the breedings.

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Originally Posted by twistedtails

When a female is in shed they are more receptive to breeding.;) I would throw the male in. Females will lay upside down while developing follicles also, it does not take a male for her to produce follicles either. It just simply sounds like she had a big meal and is bit uncomfortable though. Good luck with the breedings.

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Thanks! Since she had a chance for the meal to digest, I may throw my male back in with her tonight.