Balls really can make you go crazy...

First season breeding balls and though I've been watching breeding threads for awhile, I never understood why everyone always seemed to be going nuts over the signs they were seeing. With corns, I always let them do their thing, never worrying. For the most part, I did the same with the balls. It started with trying to palpate for follicles and I thought I felt 3 in my pastave girl. Ok, that was going to be it. Next, I watched her build up so I kept palpating for follicles. They were getting larger and now, I could feel 5 (3 a bit larger than the other 2). Somewhere in here, I found the BP Breeding Chart which goes over the follicle sizes, days between sheds, heat seeking, cool seeking, etc. Just for kicks, I started to track things and when I thought I saw her ovulate, I marked when she should shed (thinking it wouldn't actually happen on that timetable) and lay. She went blue the day of the pre-lay shed marked on my trusty calendar, moved from cold to hot side within 2 days of that, and has been laying partially inverted and I can feel golfball size lumps (5 of them). Pretty sure that this is the reason ball python breeders go crazy the first few seasons and though it hasn't fully taken hold yet, it won't surprise me if it does by the end of next season...

Girls following a timetable is pretty rare - usually why I go crazy! All my girls bar 1 have been over 2 weeks late for their 'lay date'.

RSounds positive though, what did you pair her with?

I can't wait to experience this, but for me it won't be for two more years(maybe 3). I love it when balls don't go by the timetable and people say, "my ball python forgot to read the manual." hopefully I won't be one of those going nuts when my girl drops eggs at 45 days or they wait til day 68 to pip. Lol

It's infuriating, but when it does finally happen it's so exciting :D

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Originally Posted by Ben.L

Girls following a timetable is pretty rare - usually why I go crazy! All my girls bar 1 have been over 2 weeks late for their 'lay date'.

RSounds positive though, what did you pair her with?

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And that's why I'm about to go crazy. They don't normally follow the timetable from everything I've seen so the 'coincidences' as I like to call them, are going to cause me to go nuts. She was paired with my pastave boy so we'll see. Hoping for a BEL obviously. :)

She's a two year old and I didn't start pairing until later because I didn't want to pair her until she made weight. Wasn't really expecting anything out of either of my girls and my albino (same age and size) could have cared less and definitely won't go this year but my boy locked with Ceti repeatedly up until about a month ago. We'll see what happens and if I get eggs, great. If not, it is what it is and we go again next year.