Breeders please help!

[Melody]

This is my first time breeding and I'm really stumped...:cens0r:
Ok so I got my male proven breeder spider in November and I haven't cooled him since I didn't think I'd get an adult female anytime soon but a two weeks ago I bought a 2000g pastel female who the breeder said had been with his spider already so she might already be gravid.:cens0r:
She hangs out in her water bowl and stays mostly on her cool side.
I put her with the spider about a week ago and I have yet to see them lock up. A few times I saw them with their tails right next to each other :cens0r:but they weren't actually locked...:cens0r:
I did however find what looked like dried up slightly green pee-like stuff in the cage. It looked exactly like the normal pee only it was greenish. Could that be sperm residue or something I shoould be concerned about?
Another things is, before I put the spider with the pastel I popped him and sperm plugs came out and I popped him again tonight and it was slightly red and nothing came out.. Does that mean him actually has been mating with her and I just haven't seen it?
As for the female.. I tried palpating her but I don't feel any follicles. Now this is my first time palpating as well so maybe I'm just not doing it right?
She's in shed to, if that means anything.
I don't know. I'm just confused and I want to make sure everythings ok.
Please no rude comments and people saying "why would you try to breed if you don't know what you're doing" because I've done 2 years:cens0r:+ research before attempting anything but things are turning out alot different from what I've read so getting stumped and would love some advice.
Thanks in advance

[Freakie_frog]

Animals that have been relocated sometimes will not breed for months or up to a year or more. Changes in environment like getting shipped or moved to a new home will allot of time s shut down breeders.. Sounds like you're seeing some of that..

[Jay_Bunny]

First of all, if you only got her 2 weeks ago, you did not practice quarantine, which is frowned upon, but hey, these are your snakes. Unless you really really trust the breeder you got her from, always practice QT. Even then, most people still QT even if they get their snakes from friends.

Ball pythons will mate when you are not looking. Some people have paired up snakes, never witnessed a lock, and a few months later, they find eggs. So it does happen.

If she is on the cool side, then she is not gravid. Once they ovulate a female tends to stay on the warm side until she lays. Cool-seeking females are usually developing follicles. Palpating can be tricky if you've never done it before. It may take a few times before you get the hang of it and feel follicles. This is my 3rd season breeding and only this season did I really get the hang of it.

Also, I've noticed with my females they will not breed if they are in shed. That may not be true for other breeders, but my girls simply refuse a male if they are in blue.

[ClarkT]

Sorry I won't have the answers you're looking for, but my advice is to just keep going.

Just keep putting them together every so often. Give them a break from each other. Take him out, feed him, and wait until she sheds. Then see if she'll eat a small meal, give her a couple more days after that, and then pair them again.

This is my first year breeding, too, but I've noticed some of this helps our males get back into it. We've had 3 of a possible 8 clutches laid so far.

Good luck, and have patience (unfortunately, that's the toughest thing for me, too...). Hope some of this helps.

[snakesRkewl]

I second the females not breeding during shed period, mine simply won't

You definitely broke quarantine and it's too late now but I'd brush up on how to properly quarantine for future practice.

Also as Freakie Frog says, moving females before or during breeding season means you may be waiting till next season whether you want to or not.
Keep trying for awhile giving 2-3 day breaks in between pairing and offer food during this break.

Reading is wonderful, sadly nobody lets the snakes read the manual so they rarely follow what you read

[Jay_Bunny]

Yea, I really wish they'd read the manual. It would make our lives so much easier.

[Melody]

**update!** ok this morning I took a peek at them and they were actually locked! Im very pleased however I still a little confused about the follicles though. Again maybe I'm just not doing it right but is it possible that she would accept him if she wasn't ready to breed? If so what does that mean?.. Sorry I have so many questions I just want everything to work out.

Also I know about quarantine. However I very much trust the breed I got them from as I've got many animals from him and never had a problem.
Thank you everyone so much for all your help and advice.

[Melody]

Also does anyone know why my post has censors on it? Lol

[Kymberli]

Also does anyone know why my post has censors on it? Lol

I was just following this thread to learn from the suggestions/answers given to you, but I just had to say.. I too was completely confused with all of the censors in your post. LOL, they're in places throughout the text where profanity wouldn't even make sense! Idk what to tell you though
Congrats on witnessing the lock!

[snakesRkewl]

Your describing the building process, cooling in the water, wrapping the water bowl, staying on the cool side.
If the snake was gravid "chances are" she wouldn't scent the tub up or lock up now, some will but none of mine ever have.