What rate of weight gain should I expect from my gravid female Ball Python?
I am definitely inexperienced at this, so you can save the typical comments of " Don't get into it if ya don't know what you are doing". I am only looking for real advice here. I have a Ball Python that was thought to be male as it was adopted to me from a "science and nature" center. I for what ever reason never bothered to double check what they told me as I never planned to breed. Though I did recently purchase another BP that I did check and KNOW was a male. Either way upon housing them together for a while late this winter, They locked up to my suprise. i decided to go ahead and sex her after that and was wonderfully surprised to find that she was indeed a female.
Sooo... I have begun preparations in case the lock "took". I have built a well functioning incubator, seriously monitored her behavior and environment and been doing as much research as I possibly can to be prepared. She had shed and eaten about a week before the "lock" and has refused food since. She shed again approximately 1 month later and developed all the signs I have read about since. I.E. ridged back, looks liked she swallowed a football in the lower third of her body, Awkward laying belly up and curling around water bowl and all.
The thing that is really throwing me off is that her weight is approximately the same. I don't have the most accurate scale but she was 2608 before the lock and is only 2630 now even though she is obviously much thicker looking than before. I can't seem to find anybody who has documented weight change throughout ovulation, could the lack of her feeding account for a balance in weight from the growth of the egg?
It has also been 25 days now since that shed, She has been spending most of her time in the lay box I made for her curled up for the past 4 or 5 days.
***Like I said any genuine thoughts, advice, or input would be seriously appreciated.
Also her mouth tissues look fine and she seems to be breathing normally, I haven't gone to a vet yet but would if someone thinks I have some serious cause for concern here.
Re: What rate of weight gain should I expect from my gravid female Ball Python?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
boles27
I can't seem to find anybody who has documented weight change throughout ovulation.
With ovulation only lasting 1-2 days,why in the world would there be much of a weight change??? To answer the question in the title,there won't be a big change from after ovulation(being gravid),to the time they are ready to lay.
Re: What rate of weight gain should I expect from my gravid female Ball Python?
you're right my bad ... read too quickly. Weights depicted were August pre-breeding up until pre-lay. Sorry to mislead.
Re: What rate of weight gain should I expect from my gravid female Ball Python?
Thanks to all for info. I guess that is my real concern though, she still is approximately the same weight as she was at time of breeding. We definitely are keeping her fresh water and maintaining her enclosure thoroughly. So all I can do is hope she is well and see what happens if she stays off feed and lays nothing after another two weeks of watching her or makes an immediate change in behavior I guess we'll get her into a vet then.
