Something Happening..... OR Not

About 3 weeks ago I palpitated my big normal girl. Felt some small follicles, maybe 20/25mm. I looked in on the snakes about an hour ago, and found this. She is looking very lumpy, even though curled in a circle. She is also curled squarely on the heatpad. What do the esteemed members of the forum think. Something happening.... Or Not? https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...bfc01f8cd6.jpg

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Some more pics. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c6eb1c6038.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ddba351f1a.jpg

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Wow, is it just me and is that an unorthodox way to hold a snake?

She's pregnant?

I cannot tell from the photos, but may I ask, why are you breeding a normal ball python? There are 100s of 1000s already on the earth, many in captivity that are practically unwanted, since there are so many exciting morphs to choose from by human captors these days. Just curious, what are your plans for this animal?

Sonny: Nothing wrong with holding the snake that way for a short time. It won't hurt them one bit.

@ Sonny1318: I only held her like that for less than 30 seconds to take the pic.

@ Godzilla78: I bred a Pastave Male to her. I sell normal babies here at the Expos in South Africa to beginner keepers.
I am not in the market to make money, I spread interest in the hobby.
So a beginner buys a normal baby for, in your money 20 Dollars, and I have helped someone gain an interest in reptiles.
I hope my answer makes sense.
At the expo we held in May of this year, I sold no less than 16 normals at 20 Dollars each.
This netted me 320 Dollars, and I am happy.
Back to the question, do you think she may be gravid, I value your opinion.

@Mr. Snakes: Thank You

Bump. Any Breeders who can help answer the OP’s question?


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Thanks Calm Pythons

I reckon she has answered the question for us. Does anyone agree that she is gravid. Photo taken half an hour ago. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...885cf3f1ba.jpg

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Question for Deb most certainly.

Hey for what it’s worth, I hope she is best of luck!

She has gone into the blue. I reckon eggs are on the way. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5cb52bfd43.jpg

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Two ideas: after she sheds, does she take a massive poop? The two times I've experienced the pre-lay/ post ovulation sheds have not involved any poop until well after laying and eating again. Also, after she sheds, trying pairing her up again. If she locks, she's most likely not yet gravid. Good luck to you, it can feel like the process that never ends!

She looks like she could just be building follicles, here is a great site that helped me a lot when I bred my bps for the first time they have pictures for the whole experience- https://ballpython.ca/breeding/

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So if building follicles, this could be a pre ovulation shed.

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Here is what I can tell you from experience once you feel follicles of the size of a quarter which is what you are describing, the female do no longer need to be paired however she is still at risk for re-absorption.

At 25 mm you are still a little way from ovy, follicles are golf ball size right before ovulation and if it has been 3 weeks since palpating chances are she is there.

Now as far as what to expect well first follicular development take anywhere between 4 to 8 months, during that time your female will migrate to the cool side and spend most of her time there, once she ovulates she will move back to the warm side, stop eating (if she has not yet) and have a pre-lay shed 14 days after ovulation and lay her eggs on average 45 days after ovulation.

If you are observant even if it's your first year you should know where she stands and ovulations are really hard to miss.

Thank You so Much Deborah, I just went back to my records, Follicles detected on 11 November 2018. So that is 5 weeks ago.
I have also to date not seen an ovulation, but have not checked on her every single day.

She has eaten very infrequently over the past 3 or 4 months, if I go to me records I could get accurate figures, but from memory,not more than 3 medium rats in the past 4 months, and yet she has put on weight.

What made me think that she was gravid is that I have never seen any of my Ball Pythons lay on their side like she is doing. She also seems to alternate from side to side.

I will try and catch an ovie after she sheds, and will also look out for eggs 40 or so days after her shed, just in case she is further along than we think.

I will continue to update from time to time, may I ask that the experts like Deborah and company just check back every now and then and keep advising me. I don't want to mess this one up.

I have bred Colubrids and Dumeril Boas, but this is something totally new to me.

She seems to have answered the question for us. She is bowl wrapping at the moment so I am inclined towards, not gravid, but building. My problem is that she is way out of sync. Just about all the females that took in our breeding season this year have already got eggs that are hatched and hatching. She is at least 2 months out of sync. Any opinions would be most welcome. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3372eeb2e5.jpg

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reptilius

She seems to have answered the question for us. She is bowl wrapping at the moment so I am inclined towards, not gravid, but building. My problem is that she is way out of sync. Just about all the females that took in our breeding season this year have already got eggs that are hatched and hatching. She is at least 2 months out of sync. Any opinions would be most welcome. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3372eeb2e5.jpg

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Any updates?


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No update, she is definitely not gravid.

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