Is It Just Wishful Thinking?

I opened Brannagh's tub this morning to take pics for someone of an adult female in a bigger tub and she seems...well...different to me. We've had her in with Malachi our adult male. I never saw a lock but it may well have happened since Malachi was constantly all over her and we often saw tails aligned but not a clear view of a lock. We were actually planning on continue to cycle her through with Malachi as we are with Kyna and Orlah, our other two big girls.

Brannagh suddenly looks heavier to me....chubbier...lumpier somehow. She's due to eat tomorrow so she is empty in this pic I just took. She's a nice big female granted and being a total newb at breeding I'm struggling to describe this in words but she just doesn't look like she normally does the day before eating. She hasn't gone off food though since she started cycling through with the male she has cut back a bit but Brannagh would eat if the world was tumbling down around her LOL.

Is this just wishful thinking? I was planning to feed her tomorrow as usual, wait 3 days then cycle her back in with Malachi. Should we just continue with this plan for this week?

I was planning, with Mike's help to try my first palpitations on all three breeding females later today. Any tips folks for a first timer and can I hurt anything if Brannagh is indeed been bred? (okay is it obvious I'm nervous yet LOL).

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...naghFeb071.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...naghFeb072.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...naghFeb073.jpg

Sorry I'm of no use on your q's Jo. But if it is what I think it is(building follicles), my fingers and toes are crossed for you guys! :carrot:

With out having seen her before the breeding I can't say for sure but it looks like shes building to me.. Good thoughts you way.. Hopeing for eggs.

Well if it helps LOL. Here's a pic of my husband holding Brannagh about 6 to 8 weeks ago.


http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...nnaghDec06.jpg

I forgot to mention she appears a lot darker too as if she's approaching a shed though her eyes are not blue....she's just...darker.

Hard to tell this early. Really just keep an eye on her.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I forgot to mention she appears a lot darker too as if she's approaching a shed though her eyes are not blue....she's just...darker.

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Way to eearly to be a preovulation shed.

This is the best page for breeding I have ever found. Has "Micky Mouse" step by step pics and explainations from courting to laying. Check it out.

http://www.ballpython.ca/gallery/breeding.html

hope this helps

Oh I will LOL. I'm eagle eyeing all the mature females and sending them fertile thoughts daily. How in the world did you people ever get through this first year breeding! It's nerve wracking to say the least!

Just wait till you have to wait 52 days to see the little grovers piping. Around day 40 you'll be running in checking the incubator every 2 minutes and want be able to sleep. Its great!

Good luck!

Nope doesn't look like a shed cycle to me....geesh frustrating to explain really. I've gone through a ton of sheds with Brannagh and she doesn't "feel" to me like she's going into shed...just...darker????? (ack I'm making no sense am I LOL)

I've nothing usefull to add, but I hope she's on the right track to being a mama for ya ;) :) btw...I dont think I have ever seen a pic of Mike WITHOUT a Red Wings shirt on :P LMAO Do they exist?:P

She seems to have that "blocky" look to her.. like my two females who have been bred over the past few months.. just b/c you didn't see the lock, means nothing! Ginger's eggs last year proved that to me.
As for her looking darker, only you can read your snake. It is cool how knowing an animal so well, we can tell when things are different about them.. maybe it does mean something!

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Originally Posted by Uncle Festae

I've nothing usefull to add, but I hope she's on the right track to being a mama for ya ;) :) btw...I dont think I have ever seen a pic of Mike WITHOUT a Red Wings shirt on :P LMAO Do they exist?:P

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LMAO if they do, he's destoyed em! It's either Red Wings, some sort of beer themed t-shirt or his beloved 8Ball t-shirt. My man is definitely not a "metrosexual" type...he's all about t-shirt and jeans and happy with it LOL.

As far as palpating, I would try the thing I have seen mentioned on here a couple times. Take a paper towel over your fingers to let her slide easier, and I think its easier to use the tips of my first two fingers on the snakes belly instead of laying my index finger all the way across. Let us know how it goes!!!


Neil

I will Neil and thanks. I have a few links saved on how to palp so I'll be trying it later today. I swear I'm more nervous then when I was preggie myself LOL.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

LMAO if they do, he's destoyed em! It's either Red Wings, some sort of beer themed t-shirt or his beloved 8Ball t-shirt. My man is definitely not a "metrosexual" type...he's all about t-shirt and jeans and happy with it LOL.

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Sounds just like me :D Especially the beloved 8 Ball shirt, ...90% of my shirts have some kind of racy catchphrase on them, so "Isnt about time you got some balls?" just fits so well..I guess its "me" Most people dont even realize its a snake shirt, they just think it's another one of my "crazy shirts" LOL Except for my daughter, she knows. She goes all crazy.."snakey shirt, snakey shirt!" I want to get one for her, seeing my lil 2 year old rockin an 8 Ball tee would be the epitome of cute :D

Sorry for the de-rail, hope you get lots 'o babies :D

We just tried palpating here about 2 weeks ago ... it was funny, Alyssa and I grinning from ear to ear. We got everbody in the house to feel the folicles, on Anita they felt like golf balls, and on Chel (a female I pickedup from Cue), they feel like shooter marbles.


Good Luck!!!

Neil

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Uncle Festae

Sounds just like me :D Especially the beloved 8 Ball shirt, ...90% of my shirts have some kind of racy catchphrase on them, so "Isnt about time you got some balls?" just fits so well..I guess its "me" Most people dont even realize its a snake shirt, they just think it's another one of my "crazy shirts" LOL Except for my daughter, she knows. She goes all crazy.."snakey shirt, snakey shirt!" I want to get one for her, seeing my lil 2 year old rockin an 8 Ball tee would be the epitome of cute :D

Sorry for the de-rail, hope you get lots 'o babies :D

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Hey I love a good de-rail LMAO! Yep our 5 year old in his 8Ball shirt is a hoot! It's in the wash today so he'll just have to wait to wear it till tonight. I had to basically steal it off his back to get the thing laundered! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I opened Brannagh's tub this morning to take pics for someone of an adult female in a bigger tub and she seems...well...different to me. We've had her in with Malachi our adult male. I never saw a lock but it may well have happened since Malachi was constantly all over her and we often saw tails aligned but not a clear view of a lock. We were actually planning on continue to cycle her through with Malachi as we are with Kyna and Orlah, our other two big girls.

Brannagh suddenly looks heavier to me....chubbier...lumpier somehow. She's due to eat tomorrow so she is empty in this pic I just took. She's a nice big female granted and being a total newb at breeding I'm struggling to describe this in words but she just doesn't look like she normally does the day before eating. She hasn't gone off food though since she started cycling through with the male she has cut back a bit but Brannagh would eat if the world was tumbling down around her LOL.

Is this just wishful thinking? I was planning to feed her tomorrow as usual, wait 3 days then cycle her back in with Malachi. Should we just continue with this plan for this week?

I was planning, with Mike's help to try my first palpitations on all three breeding females later today. Any tips folks for a first timer and can I hurt anything if Brannagh is indeed been bred? (okay is it obvious I'm nervous yet LOL).

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...naghFeb071.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...naghFeb072.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...naghFeb073.jpg

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In my opinion and going by the pics,i think your big girl has some junk in that trunk! AKA ovulation :cool:

Well we tried the palpitating thing...very interesting LOL. With Kyna whose been with Malachi three times now I felt some sort of pebble/marble things in her, tried to count them and got four but who the heck knows really. I'll keep checking her. With Orlah whose just going in with Malachi for her first time later this week I just felt solid, smoothness...no bumps. With Brannagh whose pictured above it was harder because she's so big now. I thought I could feel bigger bumps in her (much bigger than Kyna's) but again hard to say since I'm not sure what I'm feeling for and she's so darn thick and muscular (plus I was scared to squeeze down too hard). I'll keep checking, practising this palp thing and rotating Malachi through with all three. Boy what a nice winter Mal is having. I'm sure Riordan and Buddy are jealous as all get out! LOL

Well very out of character, Brannagh refused to eat tonight. She has only refused maybe twice in well over a year and a half, so this is definitely out of character for this female who is normally a VERY aggressive eater. She just had no interest at all in the rat. :confused:

going off feed is normal for a breeder girl. there really isn't alot of room for growing follicles and food. i'd be more worried if my breeder girls were still eating like crazy! :eek:



vaughn

Thanks Vaughn, I know I'm being a nervous nellie here (dang first year breeders eh???) Well Brann refused - she's been with Malachi once so far, Kyna refused last week and this week - she's been with Malachi three times so far and Orlah snarfed down her rat - she's not been with Malachi yet, he goes in with her in a couple of days. Malachi has refused since the first time he was in with a female, I think he has other things on his mind lately LOL. Thank goodness he's a big boy and we are resting him well between the females so he's looking just fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Well we tried the palpitating thing...very interesting LOL. With Kyna whose been with Malachi three times now I felt some sort of pebble/marble things in her, tried to count them and got four but who the heck knows really. I'll keep checking her. With Orlah whose just going in with Malachi for her first time later this week I just felt solid, smoothness...no bumps. With Brannagh whose pictured above it was harder because she's so big now. I thought I could feel bigger bumps in her (much bigger than Kyna's) but again hard to say since I'm not sure what I'm feeling for and she's so darn thick and muscular (plus I was scared to squeeze down too hard). I'll keep checking, practising this palp thing and rotating Malachi through with all three. Boy what a nice winter Mal is having. I'm sure Riordan and Buddy are jealous as all get out! LOL

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Hey Jo, did you try it with a paper towel between your hand and the snake, or a pillowcase? I found it easier to feel follicles with the reduction in friction.

oh how exciting... i'm giddy!

Yep I sure did Robin and it does make it easier to feel. I'm giddy to Aleesha! The snake may do just fine through this breeding season, I on the other hand may drive you all and my husband and likely the snakes quite mad with my worrying, fretting, researching and pacing LOL.

Jo,
Every day still feels like my first season, as I still get excited about every little detail of breeding. As far as palpating goes, don't be afraid to squeeze too hard. I apply a good bit of pressure to my girls, and I believe it helps to detect what I am feeling (i.e. organs, food items, urates or follicles). By the way, I usually try to get the female to relax for a few minutes before I start. I also will run my finger down the snakes belly a few times until I feel them "loosen" up a bit. I have some that will stay all puffed up and tense for a while. They eventually relax and makes the job easier. Just a side note, what I learned when I started palpating is that inexperienced or new palpaters(I don't know if that is a word), myself included, can usually only feel follicles that are 20 mm or larger. At that stage of developement, it is prime time for breeding. So my advice is to throw that male in with the girl if you can feel follicles. Hope any of that helped.

Helps TONS! Thanks Tim! :)

No problem Jo.