Follicle development

How long does it take for follicles to grow from 10mm to 30mm+? Is there a common timeline or do females develope at different rates? I think it was Brian Barcyk who said he uses an ultrasound and aims to pair females at 10mm, 20mm and 30mm. I'm not good at feeling for follicles, so what is the longest I should go between pairings for snakes who give me locks everytime I pair them? I don't want to make my males do any more work than I have to since they are locking for 24+ hours anytime I introduce them, and they've stopped eating.

Jake,
From my experince, females "typically" develop at about 3-4 mm a week after they reach 20. However, that is typical, and can vary greatly from female to female. 10mm is a tough number to gauge, as they can sit between 8 and 14 for a long time and never do anything. Hope that helped some. If she is developing well, I would say about 6 weeks, but don't hold me to that.

Thanks Tim. That helps. Do you mean 6 weeks or so from the time the follicles start taking off until they are huge?

If she is develpoing well right now, she could go from 10 to 30 in 6 weeks. However, she may sit on those 10's for 4 weeks before she start develpoing. It's all up to her. However, 30 mm follicles are pretty big, and even a novice should be able to palpate and feel them.

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Originally Posted by muddoc

If she is develpoing well right now, she could go from 10 to 30 in 6 weeks. However, she may sit on those 10's for 4 weeks before she start develpoing. It's all up to her. However, 30 mm follicles are pretty big, and even a novice should be able to palpate and feel them.

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Sure hope you're right. :oops:For those who are spatially impared - what's comprable to 10, 20 and 30 mm? Like grape = which size?

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Sure hope you're right. :oops:For those who are spatially impared - what's comprable to 10, 20 and 30 mm? Like grape = which size?

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10mm - Marble

20mm - Bouncy Ball


Lol thats my attempt to help Robin

I have had my 8 females with males now since mid September. The males are proven and each female has been mated at least 10 times and possibly more like 13. I can feel no follicles at all. Now this may be due to me being useless but should I not have signs by now? Maybe I'm not feeling deep enough, how deep should you be palpating please? They were staying around the cooler end a month or 2 ago but its very varied now. I have not bothered palpating for them in the past and had success so maybe I'm just not feeling them. Any ideas?
Paul

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Originally Posted by paul.angelides

I have had my 8 females with males now since mid September. The males are proven and each female has been mated at least 10 times and possibly more like 13. I can feel no follicles at all. Now this may be due to me being useless but should I not have signs by now? Maybe I'm not feeling deep enough, how deep should you be palpating please? They were staying around the cooler end a month or 2 ago but its very varied now. I have not bothered palpating for them in the past and had success so maybe I'm just not feeling them. Any ideas?
Paul

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Have you read that breeding how-to that suggests that you hold her in your two hands somewhere in the upper third, and let her slither through your cupped hands, squeezing her almost flat? She will relax into you and let you hold her that tight, but your force should not be restrictive, just flattening. If you keep your fingers on her underside as she goes through, you should start feeling a string of lumps somewhere in the last third. They'll get bigger over time, too.

If your hands stick to her and the lumps are hard to feel as a result, a lot of people say they put a paper towel on the underside and feel her through that so she slides more easily.

I'm something of a n00b, but if your girls are locking up and all of that stuff, i'd guess that there's at least *something* going on. Keep trying!

Thanks mate for the reply. You see this is my problem, the males are mating them like mad. EVERY girl has had at least 10 locks now. I would have expected to have easily palpated something by now but its very possible I'm feeling too superficially. I was worried about squeezing too firmly and damaging any follicles, or worse still her. I do exactually what you say but feel nothing yet. I just expected more at this stage from so many locks and over quite a length of time. I may resort to ultrasounding a couple with the vets to see if its me being incompetent (very likely) or the girls not playing ball!!
Paul

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Originally Posted by paul.angelides

Thanks mate for the reply. You see this is my problem, the males are mating them like mad. EVERY girl has had at least 10 locks now. I would have expected to have easily palpated something by now but its very possible I'm feeling too superficially. I was worried about squeezing too firmly and damaging any follicles, or worse still her. I do exactually what you say but feel nothing yet. I just expected more at this stage from so many locks and over quite a length of time. I may resort to ultrasounding a couple with the vets to see if its me being incompetent (very likely) or the girls not playing ball!!
Paul

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Last night Adam Wysocki told me not to be afraid to squeeze them, and that the follicles (even when big and softer-feeling) are not easily damaged.

Clearly you don't want to do it full-strength, but a firm, deep grip is okay. I also palpitate with the tips of my fingers running down the very middle so i can feel it easier. You can press in there fairly deep, to the point that you'd almost expect to feel the backbone through the tummy, and lighten your grip a tiny bit to let the lumps safely pass when you start feeling them. My bet is you're afraid to hurt her (a noble concern) and you're not going very deep as a result. She's pretty tough, and i think as long as she can still make it through your hands it's okay.

I guess i'd say... I gently press until it stops giving way. Like, she flattens out and eventually i stop being able to press much further without actually puncturing her. At that point, i don't relax my grip or push any further i just firmly hold it and she starts moving forward. I was able to feel them when they were still quite small, like maybe 10mm

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Originally Posted by paul.angelides

EVERY girl has had at least 10 locks now. I would have expected to have easily palpated something by now but its very possible I'm feeling too superficially.Paul

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Paul,
Those females can lock 30 times, but if they are not ready to cycle, or start growing follicles, they just won't do it until they feel conditions are worhty of them putting all that effort into creating babies. This is the part that makes this more of an artform than a science. I wish I could be more helpful, but don't forget that your snake is a woman (and we all know that they do what they want, when they want).

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Originally Posted by muddoc

Paul,
I wish I could be more helpful, but don't forget that your snake is a woman (and we all know that they do what they want, when they want).

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Good man for recognizing this too! :P

Thanks for the advice guys. Tell me about the woman rule, impossible things!!! Well, went to the vets on a seperate note today so took 3 of the girls for ultra sounding. ALL were producing follicle so I am just so pleased to be so useless at feeling for them. Just fingers crossed for some ovulations now. Thanks again for the input, much appreciated.
Paul