How often is too often?

I started pairing up ny male pastel with both my het hypo and my cinny but have yet to see any locks. I know that patience is key, and I'm not worried that it will happen, but I do check in on them by pulling tubs out a few tines a day (looking for a lock). Is that too often? How often to folks here peek in on paired snakes to look for locks? I haven't seen any scenting or other breeding behavior but then I don't watch after pairing, I just leave the room and hope that they'll get after it! The male is a virgin, as is the cinny, but the het hypo is not. Maybe the male is just an awkward teen type thing, maybe the weather hasn't been right, maybe it will just take more time being paired? Time will tell but any tips or hints would be appreciated.

Quick note - all snakes have been probed by yours truly and sexes are confirmed, so it isn't that.

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I will look a few times a day if I can see thru the tub without disturbing them. If I can't see and I have to pull the tub, I will only check like maybe once a day to twice a day.

I hardly have to ever pull the tub, I just shine a flashlight in thru the front and look for the lock :)

I check my breeding pairs 2-3 times a day. If I can just peek through the side of the tub and see that they are/aren't locked, I won't slide the tub out. Otherwise they don't seemed too bothered by me gently sliding the tub out, peeking in, and sliding it back in. I've noticed most of my locks occur overnight, as I usually discover them when I check before work (6:45am or so). None of my pairs this year are particularly shy snakes, so that could have something to do with it.

Thanks for the replies, I'll start using a flashlight to look through the front/sides of the tub.

@Kat - do you have a night drop? Mines is 6 degrees, which I suppose could make a difference as to when they lock.

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I usually check once or twice a day. If I see a lock I try to get a picture so I can document. They don't seem to mind :P

If you open your tubs too often you will disturbed them, give them some privacy. ;)

I don't check on them by opening the tubs, I just peek though which give me a good idea of what is going on.

When I witness a lock by opening the tub it's usually because I am about to rotate the male and I am walking in on the action which in that case I close the tub back and let them finish.

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Originally Posted by gsarchie

@Kat - do you have a night drop? Mines is 6 degrees, which I suppose could make a difference as to when they lock.

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No night drop. No cooling. Everybody stays the same temp all year round. Now, the room may cool a degree or two generally in the winter versus the summer. But I don't do anything intentionally and the hot spot stays the same.

If the female isn't building her follicles, it's a waste of effort to pair them with the male. If she's not showing any other signs of building (bowl wrapping, staying on the cool side, not scenting, aggressively feeding, and you can't feel any hint of follicles) she's probably just not ready yet. I'd give her a month and try again.

Thanks for the additional replies. My female cinny shed a few days ago and about an hour ago when I peeked in on then they looked like they may have been locked. The male's tail was under the females but I couldn't see if there was any penetration or hemipenes being everted. Time will tell, I suppose!

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Originally Posted by gsarchie

Thanks for the additional replies. My female cinny shed a few days ago and about an hour ago when I peeked in on then they looked like they may have been locked. The male's tail was under the females but I couldn't see if there was any penetration or hemipenes being everted. Time will tell, I suppose!

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Thats most likely a lock then. I have yet to see anything else but im sure theyve locked. These are locks:
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/18/8uvujaqy.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/18/geneze5e.jpg

EDIT: Jerry told me one of the telltale giveaways is the males tail curled under the females like that. If you see it curled under like that then thats a good thing! :gj:

Young first time males don't lock for very long and many times the locks are never witnessed. Even if your female is not cycling you are not wasting your time, by introducing the male periodically it can make the female begin her breeding cycle. Be patient and keep pairing, they go when they want to, not when you want to.

Tails were under but not curled. Maybe it had been earlier... Thanks Mike. Thanks for the info everyone!

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THIS!
You need to pair them to stimulate the female to grow follicles :gj:

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Young first time males don't lock for very long and many times the locks are never witnessed. Even if your female is not cycling you are not wasting your time, by introducing the male periodically it can make the female begin her breeding cycle. Be patient and keep pairing, they go when they want to, not when you want to

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I check on my snakes several times a day and when I catch them locked up I'll pull the drawer open and snap pictures,
I'm not shy, and neither are they.
I am careful to open the tub slowly and close it slowly, but I get lock up pics ALL the time...

Specter to larger albino(2400ish grams)
http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/PICT9497.jpg

Specter X spider yellowbelly
http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/PICT0271.jpg

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Originally Posted by Zombie

I will look a few times a day if I can see thru the tub without disturbing them. If I can't see and I have to pull the tub, I will only check like maybe once a day to twice a day.

I hardly have to ever pull the tub, I just shine a flashlight in thru the front and look for the lock :)

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x2

Yellow Dude didn't seal the deal until last night (he's also a first timer) and he didn't do it until after I threw another male in for 10 minutes (closely supervised) to make him jealous. Maybe that would encourage your guy?

I don't have any other adult male, just this one. Next year I'll have three that should be mature, so that is always an option then! Thanks for the tip.