Breeding female not eating

I have been breeding my two ball pythons since November, but these last 5-6 weeks my female refuses to eat. I have heard about males stop eating, but not females. Does this mean I should stop breeding until she starts eat again, because she was about 1400-1500grams when I first started?

I have seen atleast 3 locks, but no ovulation. Oh yes, my male is pounding every rat I give him. Isn't this weird or what?

Sounds normal. Breeding females will go off feed. Sometimes theyll even stop eating til they finally lay their clutch.

My pastel male has been breeding four females since early october and has not refused a meal yet. Rather male or female, feed em if thell eat it!

All your signs are in the green. Goodluck!

Okay, thank you so much ! I will continue offer food once a week, maybe she will target one eventually :rolleyes: She atleast show some interest when I try to feed her.

Is there any point, other than ovulation, where I should remove her from breeding?

How many locks should it take until she will ovulate? I thought she was gravid when she was glowing like never before. Oh well...

Thanks again ! :D

My girls, when off feed...will sometimes still show a slight interest in eating. Like an unsuccessful strike, or theyll even constrict and kill but still wont eat. Its all good.

Other than ovy, or an illness(RI or something) i dont see any reason to quit pairing.

Ive read if she starts glowing, shell probably continue to glow until ovy. I have two girls glowing right now,ovy should be soon.

What if she strikes more than once, but doesn't attempt to constrict? And as far I know, hasn't bred. Was housed with a male for 3 years though so it's completely possible they locked before I got them.

Yeah, if she was housed with a male they could have previously locked...possible sperm retention also.

Even if she strikes more than once, it could still just be defensive. I think if shes hungry and means business, she'll get the job done and eat.

Ovy means ovulation right?

If she glows or "shine" more than she are used to, does that mean anything about breeding or something? Like she is ready to be bred? I mean, she should be because she is about 1400grams and 3 years old.

How long time does it normaly take for a female to ovulate from the moment I introduce the male to her? It has been about 2 mounths now, and all I have seen is a couple of locks. I have no patience anymore, I want eggs now ! :tricho: :giggle:

Yes, ovy=ovulation.

If shes up to age, weight, and has been locking and glowing then ovulation should be soon. Cant say for certain how soon. Once ovulation occurs, she will go through her post ovy shed, and then after post ovy shed you can expect eggs (about) 30 days or so later. Depends on the female.

Also, theres no set amount of locks required for ovulation to occur. Actually, all it takes is one successful lock. One lock is all she COULD need to retain sperm, ovy, and produce a fertile clutch.

Patience is a viture. I know your anxious and excited, we all get that way. But keep in mind, you cant always speed nature up. Try to think of it like this, the longer she takes to ovy and lay her clutch, the more she has time to build you big beautiful eggs full of big healthy babies.;):D

Hey, so you have no patience, well unfortunately you gotta have some. I have been waiting since last year for this one female of mine she held onto the sperm plugs and never produced. I'm hoping withing the next 11-21 or so days giver take a week or so these things take time.

Patience you better have, and locks well my 2 females this season locked I'd say over 10x's each atleast and I still won't say for sure I'm GOING to have lil ones. I'm hoping. I did see the OVY(ovulation) one was very dramatic the other not so much. The not so much female is the one thats huge now and the other one is the one I'm questioning. So its not an exact science.

Good luck!

Females should be at least 1500 grams to be bred. 1400 is on the light side, and I would not have bred her at that size, personally. If she's gone off feed now, I would stop pairing her. If you get a clutch from her, it's likely to be 4 undersized eggs, if anything, and she'll be worn out and skinny as a rail from it. It will stunt her growth.
She may decide to lay eggs anyhow, but no sense in encouraging it at this point.

Most females reach 1500 grams in 3 years, but some are poor eaters, and don't. Best to give them 1 more year. Remember that breeding animals need more nutrition than pets--larger prey items, more often. A breeding female should be eating medium rats weekly, or small rats every 5 days, when she is interested in eating.

Occasionally some ball pythons are just tiny and never do get to the usual size for females, but at least 4 years gives them ample time to achieve maturity.

Young females between 1000 and 1500 grams will often go off feed over the winter...this is essentially 'puberty'. These girls tend to start eating again in the spring with interest, and then breed the following year.

She'll be fine but will you, lol @ no patience...

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Originally Posted by Blubb

Ovy means ovulation right?

If she glows or "shine" more than she are used to, does that mean anything about breeding or something? Like she is ready to be bred? I mean, she should be because she is about 1400grams and 3 years old.

How long time does it normaly take for a female to ovulate from the moment I introduce the male to her? It has been about 2 mounths now, and all I have seen is a couple of locks. I have no patience anymore, I want eggs now ! :tricho: :giggle:

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time can be very different in the females. some go fast and some take forever. my female fire just laid her clutch yesterday 1/11/2012 and she was ultrasound late summer with very large follicles. I thought she would of had her clutch months ago. some of my other females who had smaller follicles when we ultrasounded them laid months before her. she had 7 eggs, 6 with good veins showing. so females can go thru their stages differently than others.

keep putting the male in and also take him out. when you give with time away from her and then put him back in, it will sometimes put interest back into him to breed. if you just leave him in with her, he could lose interest in her. and offer smaller food than what she normally eats. this might help, if she stops feeding, this is also a normal condition. some eat and some won't

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

She'll be fine but will you, lol @ no patience...

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Lol Jerry you always crack me up!

It's nature.. You know my special trick that works every single time? .................

I put them together.... I separate them. Wash, rinse, repeat! If it happens it happens.. No tricks. No freaking out.. Someone always stops eating.. Oh well. They're balls! They don't eat!! It sucks! It's life!

I never cooled. I don't pay attention to wether or not it's an ovy. I always get eggs.

You'll stress yourself to death worrying over them. Just wait. A few clutches hatched, a few babies assist fed, heck, someday you may even have to perform surgery. After awhile you won't worry about any of this. It will come as naturally in your mind as it does to your snakes ;)

All right, one said I should stop breeding while the rest of you told me that these things happens to all breeders at some point.

Everyone of you noted that I had no patience, which was kind of a joke. I would not have any problems at all waiting until next season with breeding her.

I will continue breeding and offering rats every week. Only time will tell what will happen. Thanks all !

Does she have follicles?

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Originally Posted by coldbloodaddict

Does she have follicles?

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Sorry for my lack of knowledge, this would be my first clutch ever. When people talk about growing follicles, do they mean when eggs are growing inside the female? :oops:

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Originally Posted by Blubb

Sorry for my lack of knowledge, this would be my first clutch ever. When people talk about growing follicles, do they mean when eggs are growing inside the female? :oops:

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http://ralphdavisreptiles.com/matrix.../palpating.asp

So follicles will turn into eggs? I will do what Ralph does, maybe I can feel something. Thanks for the link ! ;)

My female was eating till the moment where i put the male in her tub. She was around 1740g, and since then (25.11.) havent eat again :(

This is her 3. breeding.

my female just stop eating been pairing her up since early Nov.

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Originally Posted by Wicked Constrictors

my female just stop eating been pairing her up since early Nov.

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Yeah, it happens to the most of the breeders. Someone once told me that females will eat more than ever when breeding. Hm...

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Originally Posted by Blubb

Someone once told me that females will eat more than ever when breeding. Hm...

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Again, it all depends on your female. And for that matter, she may not act the same way next year. Last year, both of my girls went off feed in September/October, and both laid healthy clutches. This year, one has been off since Oct, but the other is still pounding rats, and both are glowing (right on schedule).

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

Again, it all depends on your female. And for that matter, she may not act the same way next year.

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Okay, I first thought that was a "rule" that females eat anything when breeding, to help the follicles to grow.

Thanks everyone for helping me out ! Please keep in mind that this is my first clutch :D

In my experience females will eat strong during the fall and winter while breeding. They then suddenly stop and ovulate a few weeks later. I'm sure there are exceptions but it's almost a rule here.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Females should be at least 1500 grams to be bred. 1400 is on the light side, and I would not have bred her at that size, personally. If she's gone off feed now, I would stop pairing her. If you get a clutch from her, it's likely to be 4 undersized eggs, if anything, and she'll be worn out and skinny as a rail from it. It will stunt her growth.
She may decide to lay eggs anyhow, but no sense in encouraging it at this point.

Most females reach 1500 grams in 3 years, but some are poor eaters, and don't. Best to give them 1 more year. Remember that breeding animals need more nutrition than pets--larger prey items, more often. A breeding female should be eating medium rats weekly, or small rats every 5 days, when she is interested in eating.

Occasionally some ball pythons are just tiny and never do get to the usual size for females, but at least 4 years gives them ample time to achieve maturity.

Young females between 1000 and 1500 grams will often go off feed over the winter...this is essentially 'puberty'. These girls tend to start eating again in the spring with interest, and then breed the following year.

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Now this was really useful thanks! I have a couple yearling females that are always piggy eaters and all of sudden in the past month have stopped. Worried me a bit, and now I know. Puberty. So I guess next the slam the tub door and tell me they hate me? :)

And my breeding girl went off feed and took live twice in two months and then in the last week took 2 small rats with a vengeance. So they have their own ideas. Unless she is looking ill I would not worry. Some girls eat some girls don't.

Further on I will start breeding at 1700-1800 grams, just to make sure she could handle some months off feed. After all, I want healthy breeders and hatchlings.

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Originally Posted by Blubb

Yeah, it happens to the most of the breeders. Someone once told me that females will eat more than ever when breeding. Hm...

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Someone was right :gj:

My females get offered large weanlings and small rats every 3-4 days in Sept/Oct/Nov and most will eat every time offered during that period.
I then back off to once a week and up the size to all small rats and maybe a few mediums for the larger girls.

Every one of my females are still eating, most have been cooling themselves and bowl wrapping, I expect in the next month or so they will start to stop eating.

I HATE females going off feed before the feed up period is over, thankfully this season every single breeding female is hammering food.

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Blubb
Okay, I first thought that was a "rule" that females eat anything when breeding, to help the follicles to grow.

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It takes a good amount of calcium to produce healthy eggs, if they don't eat well...slugs :(

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Females should be at least 1500 grams to be bred. 1400 is on the light side, and I would not have bred her at that size, personally. If she's gone off feed now, I would stop pairing her. If you get a clutch from her, it's likely to be 4 undersized eggs, if anything, and she'll be worn out and skinny as a rail from it. It will stunt her growth.
She may decide to lay eggs anyhow, but no sense in encouraging it at this point.

Most females reach 1500 grams in 3 years, but some are poor eaters, and don't. Best to give them 1 more year. Remember that breeding animals need more nutrition than pets--larger prey items, more often. A breeding female should be eating medium rats weekly, or small rats every 5 days, when she is interested in eating.

Occasionally some ball pythons are just tiny and never do get to the usual size for females, but at least 4 years gives them ample time to achieve maturity.

Young females between 1000 and 1500 grams will often go off feed over the winter...this is essentially 'puberty'. These girls tend to start eating again in the spring with interest, and then breed the following year.

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Again, another Opinion your pushing on others snakes. 1500g is NOT the magical weight a snake is ready to breed. To say 1400g is light but add 100g which is essnetialy one meal is Spot on and ready to go.

They will breed when they are ready, if their not they wont take simple as that.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

My females get offered large weanlings and small rats every 3-4 days in Sept/Oct/Nov and most will eat every time offered during that period.
I then back off to once a week and up the size to all small rats and maybe a few mediums for the larger girls.

I HATE females going off feed before the feed up period is over, thankfully this season every single breeding female is hammering food.

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I have heard about several breeders putting males to females all year round, does that affect the breeding result in any way? Or do ball pythons tend to breed "better" October/November? I mean, let's say my female is "ready" with weight and age in May, should I breed her or should I wait until the breeding season really starts?

Also, should I offer my female more meals about 1-2 months before I plan to breed her? I heard you do that. Thanks !! :D

I would be curious to see what the differences are in the setups and geographical locations of folks who successfully breed year-round, but my animals appear to know when it's autumn, and that's when they begin displaying breeding behavior. Males go off feed, and females become receptive. At other times of the year, there hasn't been any interest.
I expect that people closer to the equator, and people who have their animals on completely artificial light cycles, may have more success with year-round breeding. I use ambient light from windows for my reptile room.

Rich, you needn't take it so personally that some of us use 1500 grams as the minimum weight. I have bred a few animals that came into the breeding season at 1500 grams, and then went off feed. When they produced clutches, the results were extremely disappointing, and the females looked terrible. Your results may be different, but based on mine, I do my best to avoid breeding girls that aren't up to weight, and pull them if they go off feed at that weight.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I would be curious to see what the differences are in the setups and geographical locations of folks who successfully breed year-round, but my animals appear to know when it's autumn, and that's when they begin displaying breeding behavior. Males go off feed, and females become receptive. At other times of the year, there hasn't been any interest.
I expect that people closer to the equator, and people who have their animals on completely artificial light cycles, may have more success with year-round breeding. I use ambient light from windows for my reptile room.

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That all depends, As ive gotten snakes who were proven breeders from FL who woudl be late layers. They now are laying by May rather July-august. ive shipped Females who were from Michigan to south that are now late layers.

The barometric pressure is what they go by IMO.

That's very likely, and here, the biggest storms come in in autumn, and spring.

I have one girl who gained about 400 grams since september, she went from 2100 to 2500 grams and has stopped eating right before she ovulated. I have another girl who was 1800 grams and never missed a meal before who just went off food and is still building. I have 4 other girls who despite begining pairing on all at the same time, are just starting to build follicles. I also have 2 more that are showing no building at all and are eating sporadically. All have locked successfully, so I guess the moral of the story is wait and see. Good luck

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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

Lol Jerry you always crack me up!

It's nature.. You know my special trick that works every single time? .................

I put them together.... I separate them. Wash, rinse, repeat! If it happens it happens.. No tricks. No freaking out.. Someone always stops eating.. Oh well. They're balls! They don't eat!! It sucks! It's life!

I never cooled. I don't pay attention to wether or not it's an ovy. I always get eggs.

You'll stress yourself to death worrying over them. Just wait. A few clutches hatched, a few babies assist fed, heck, someday you may even have to perform surgery. After awhile you won't worry about any of this. It will come as naturally in your mind as it does to your snakes ;)

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i absolutely love this response! this is our 1st year breeding as well. thank you, i REALLY needed that virtual smack! lol :D sometimes ya just cant help getting a little obsessed tho....

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Originally Posted by h&tmaster

i absolutely love this response! this is our 1st year breeding as well. thank you, i REALLY needed that virtual smack! lol :D sometimes ya just cant help getting a little obsessed tho....

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Lol thanks! The great thing about breeding females that decide to go off feed early in the season is that most can be triggered to start eating again simply by breeding them.

Many females will stop eating for awhile in the fall when the barometric pressure changes. Then you put a male with them. After that first lock, they will usually start eating again up until they are actually gravid. Breeding often triggers eating :)