Tail lock ?

So i think this is not a big deal just want to get some input from other breeders. So they say that lock go anywere from 4 to24 hours is it normal for it to go 30 plus hours and still locked?

Unless you have kept eyes on them for the entire 30 plus hours it is more likely that they have locked a second time rather than stayed locked the entire time. Check at different parts of the day and just grab him when they aren't locked. If that ends up being a couple of days give him a break before you keep his next date.

Thanks For the info

what is tail lock?

Of course.

The position that ball pythons, I'm assuming all snakes, get into when actually mating is referred to as "Tail Lock". Uhm... make your index fingers into hooks and then hook them together so that you can't pull them apart, your finger tips are representing the tips of the tails. That is REALLY roughly what the position looks like.

Typically if you are trying to breed a pair of snakes you want to see a certain number of locks before you are relatively comfortable assuming enough genetic material has been transferred. As I implied above, these locks typically aren't looked for all at one time but maybe once every ten days, or whatever your schedule is, for some period of time, again based on your schedule.

We had one that we did not see seperated for about 40 hours. Cant say 100% that they didn't break and relock, but we didn't witness it.

The term locked does not refer to the tails. The tails do not lock!;)

Hmm, true? Its the cloaca area that locks I guess and the sex organs there. But you can't really see that so it just LOOKS like the tails are locked.

They really do kind of lock though, you'd do serious damage by physically separating or alarming the snakes into action while they were locked.

does it mean that if the pair locks atleast ONCE, its a sure success that your female will lay eggs?

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Originally Posted by Joe Massey

does it mean that if the pair locks atleast ONCE, its a sure success that your female will lay eggs?

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Nope.