Seeking warmth after hugging the water bowl

[XSReptiles]

A little history about me and my female. I'm new to BPs this being my first year keeping them. I've had reptiles for nearly 2 decades most of my experience limited to aquatic turtles do. I picked up 2 females from a local breeder 2 weeks ago from CL ad. Apparently the individual was robbed during X-mas and nearly all of his BP collection was stolen. All he had left was a few normal females as well as a male pastel and mojave. So to try and recoup from his lose he listed 5 normal gravid females for $50 each all bred to a mojave. I found it iffy but figured adult females are worth more than $50. The individual seemed like a nice person so I picked up 2. One I felt follicles in the other I couldn't but a nice dinker with most of her alien heads from each of her sides connecting over her back.

I got them home and set them up in 41qt sterlites heated via 2x 3'' flex watt set to mid 80s and the ambient temp in the upper 70s. I used aspen as that’s what they were on with the previous owner. I don't have a gram scale large enough for them yet but weighed them on my digital postal scale one 1.0 kilos the other 1.6. I was pretty surprised of the smaller of the twos weight but my scale might be off some as its only accurate to 0.2 pounds. I let them settle for 4 days and fed them both each a single thawed weaned rat. They took with little effort from me. Although both favored the cool side of the tub only the larger of the two hugs the water bowl. 5 days after their first meal they were offered their 2nd meal the larger one took 2 weaned rats. A few days ago I noticed the large ones belly getting pink and her skin seems a little darker. So I suspect she is getting ready to shed. This morning I noticed her at the edge of the warm side with the lower half of her body slightly inverted. At lunch I found her in a nice coil over the heat tape still slightly off it as well. She appears a little larger than before not sure if the meal two days ago is the cause. I'd suspect if she is ovulating that she would be larger for the budge to be more noticeable.

I've read the barkers book, several articles and various post. I feel I have a decent understanding of the stages the females under go. Yet not sure if she did ovulate or about to. Is it normal for them to seek the heated side just before ovulation? Maybe I gave her too much food (80 grams between the two rats) so she needs warmth. I don't think I've read if they seek the warmth before or after ovulation. I've provided a photo if anyone cares to reply their thought it would be great.


She does seem alittle thicker in the pick than I remember.

Thanks
Xavier

[XSReptiles]

http://http://gallery.pethobbyist.co....php?id=391524

If the pic isn't coming up use the above link.

Thanks
Xavier

[twistedtails]

Fixed the pic for you...

[twistedtails]

If she is gravid she would be a lot lighter. It is hard to tell from the pic wether she is or not. Try holding her up and snapping a pic of her belly.

[XSReptiles]

If she is gravid she would be a lot lighter. It is hard to tell from the pic wether she is or not. Try holding her up and snapping a pic of her belly.

Thanks, I did notice she head seemed light when I picked her up from the breeder. I've read they "glow" yet no seeing the change myself yet I'm unsure what it will look like when it happens. I'll see if I can get a couple more pix of her this weekend. I also wondered if she might lighten after the shed.

Xavier

[XSReptiles]

Should she be lighter if she is still building? I've palpated her twice and can certianly feel follicles maybe marble sized (roughly 1 cm) as of a couple days ago.

[XSReptiles]

She is still on the heat this evening, no sagging belly that I can see. Do females building seek warmth for any length of time before ovulating?

[twistedtails]

Here is a really good site to help you kinda figure out what is going on...
http://www.ballpython.ca/gallery/breeding.html