Ball Python Getting Eggbound?

I was talking about this last month with Dr. Richard Funk in Mesa, AZ, and he had a breeder bring him an eggbound female two years ago. Apparently she was right "on the edge" of proper breeding size, though the vet couldn't recall offhand if that meant 1200 grams or 1500 grams--she survived, and the breeder gave her last winter off in the hopes that that would keep her from suffering too much long-term injury. Dr. Funk says the breeder will try to mate her again this winter. Hopefully her oviduct wasn't permanently damaged.

That's a very good question. I actually had two females become eggbound last season. They both laid some eggs, but retained some. The smaller female only retained one egg, while the larger female retained three. One was well over 2000 grams, and the other was approximatley 1600 grams. Luckily I noticed that they were eggbound, and removed the eggs. I do not know how often it happens, or why, but these females were definately not small, so that was not the reason.

If I remember right Tracy with VPI posted a story about their Patternless Ball Project on here. In the story I thought she said one of the females in that project had become egg bound and died. I didnt search and find the story to confirm this so I could be wrong.

Wow David...I am so sorry to hear what happend...that is terrible and I can only imagine you were devastated.

Michelle, thankfully it's very rare and I've had many successes as well.