I think she's ovulating

This is my first year breeding and here's one of my girls. She's been glowing for about a month, has shed 3 times so far during cool down, and hasnt eaten in about a month. I figured I missed ovulation and she was gravid and about to lay. Her last shed was 12/22, so I have been looking everyday for eggs. I checked on her today and she's is blown up. For all of the newbie's, if you think you missed ovulation and you check everyday, then she didn't ovulate yet. It is so obvious in person. Just a little info on her breeding:
Cooldown: Sept 24th
Locks:
11-7 w/ Fire
11-18 w/ Fire
12-9 w/ Fire
12-23 w/ Fire
12-30 w/ Pastel

Sheds:
9-25
11-15
12-22

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/3788/dscn3806ad5.jpg
Shot with E5200 at 2009-01-21

HTH's,
Jordan

Awesome! :gj:

Yea, shes definately filled up with eggs. Looks like she swallowed a football right?

Ooooh yeah! That part of her body is hard and she has been looking miserable for a few weeks and laying in odd positions like she has a belly ache. Now I know why.

have you felt and counted eggs yet???

Big congrats!!!! Best of luck:salute:

Looks like it to me. Grats!

I have tried counting follicles and I could only recognize the follicles in one of my girls, which was very obvious and felt exactly like a string of pearls. With the rest of them, including this one, I can't feel anything besides rat and gas bubbles. Now I have to wait and see if I can feel for eggs. Right now its just a solid hard mass. Im a total newbie on this stuff and i'm learning as I go.

Well, she laid on the predicted day with the exact number that I felt in her. 8 fertile eggs with no slugs. Not bad for my first clutch ever. Last night she was laying inverted as predicted and she never does that, so I knew something was about to happen this morning.

I have a question about the substrate. I have the eggs on eggcrate suspended on spagnum moss. I couldn't find pearlite or vermiculite at lowes/hd without it being miracle gro and having chemicals in it. The moss has been incubating for about a week and I noticed a little mold growth in some areas of the moss today. Would it be safe to spray the moss with a sporicedan spray (mold killer)?

thanks
Jordan

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8993/dscn4350e.jpg
Shot with E5200 at 2009-03-10

They should have Perlite at Lowes/WM. Replace that moss with 1-2" of Perlite, with water almost to the top of it. Suspend the eggs on the egg crate (just as you are doing now).

I wouldn't spray chemicals in there.

JonV

Grats! Hopefully she throws fires and pastels for you.

Congrats :gj:

Ok, i've been to 2 different walmarts and a lowes and homedepot. The only perlite that they carry is Miracle Gro and it contains fertilizers. Is that ok to use?

thanks
Jordan

DONT use anything with fertilizers!!!
Vermiculite, Perlite, or hatch-rite from a reptile supply will work. You need something that will hold water without adding anything to it or going moldy.
I use vermiculite from walmart.

Ok thanks for the info. I think I may have to take a trip to some Plant Nursery's. Its rediculous how I can't find perlite (besides Miracle Gro) in the stores here in Orlando.

Oh, it was a weird feeling touching/picking up a snake egg for the first time. I don't think i'll ever forget that.

I can send you a few pounds of verm if you can't find anything.

Used the Miracle Grow perlite in 07 and all of the eggs were fine(three clutches).

It's not like the eggs are touching the perlite whatsoever, just the light grate.

It's fine. If you're concerned, rinse it off.

Ok that definately makes life easier. I'll pick up the miracle gro stuff today and rinse it. Thanks for the offer on the verm, SPJ.

thanks
Jordan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rodentslayer

Ok thanks for the info. I think I may have to take a trip to some Plant Nursery's. Its rediculous how I can't find perlite (besides Miracle Gro) in the stores here in Orlando.

Oh, it was a weird feeling touching/picking up a snake egg for the first time. I don't think i'll ever forget that.

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It is ridiculous. Every place that sells perlite near me has recently switched to the Maricle Grow brand with fertilizer. If people want Maricle Grow fertilizer with their perlite it's right next to the bags. We can mix it ourselves. I can't find perlite or verm now. My verm supplier said it was outlawed because of asbestos. I can find it online ok, but only huge bags and the shipping prices triple the cost of it.

Anyway, congrats on the eggs! I'll cross my fingers for some fires for you. Why did you put a pastel in with her if she was breeding with a fire? If you need pastels and don't get any, I'd be happy to trade you a couple nice females for a fire. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Used the Miracle Grow perlite in 07 and all of the eggs were fine(three clutches).

It's not like the eggs are touching the perlite whatsoever, just the light grate.

It's fine. If you're concerned, rinse it off.

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I've thought about that, but I didn't want to risk it. I've successfully used moist rockwool and pasturized cypress mulch for substrateless incubation. A lot of things will work, so I wouldn't risk using anything with chemicals in it. I believe it worked for you, and I'm sure it would be ok, but the thought of it just irks me.

you could go to your local pet store and buy hatch rite...
Kevin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KMS

you could go to your local pet store and buy hatch rite...
Kevin

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I'm not one to pay extra to have someone add water to vermiculite for me. Stuff like that just goes against my principals. Plus, there are plenty of things that can be used with the substrateless method. I have a GrowNBrew about an hour from me, so worse comes to worst I will go buy a gigantic bag of verm or use hydroton or rockwool.

I've used miracle gro perilite with light diffusor as well and haven't had problems. So have other breeders I know in the area (it's easier to find).

I found a place that has "regular" perilite in bulk and have switched to that (it's cheaper). But in a pinch I think you can use the miracle gro without issue. I've never actually heard of anyone having a problem with it in substrateless incubation.

Best of luck!!!

i wished i knew i could use the mircle gro stuff!!! i searched everywhere and luckily i found vermic at lowes.

Jake....I put the pastel in there to hopefully produce some female pastels as well as some female fires. We can all use more females right...:)
I just picked up the miracle gro perlite and setup a tub to get acclimated in the incubator. Then i'll switch the eggs once temps are stabilized. Thanks for the info. I just realized that i'll be on a cruize once the eggs hatch..eek.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rodentslayer

Jake....I put the pastel in there to hopefully produce some female pastels as well as some female fires. We can all use more females right...:)
I just picked up the miracle gro perlite and setup a tub to get acclimated in the incubator. Then i'll switch the eggs once temps are stabilized. Thanks for the info. I just realized that i'll be on a cruize once the eggs hatch..eek.

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Well if you end up with too many fires and not enough female pastels hit me up!

Jake, will do. Can you shoot me some pics of your pastels? I love my fires, they are Mike Wilbanks line and are definately different than most fires that you see. My fire female is around 1600g and growing some nice follicles. She is locking up like crazy with my male. I am praying for a super.