First Time Breeder Progression Thread

[Reptilius]

So this is my first time breeding Ball Pythons, and I would like to do this thread.
Both male and female have not eaten since 04 December 2017.

The Pairing: 1.0 Pastel Mojave x 0.1 Pastel Enchi

Weight at first lock: 1069 / 1779

The first lock was recorded on 17 December 2017.



The second lock took place on 23 December 2017, although I witnessed the lock, I don't have photographic evidence.

I put them together again on 07 January 2018, but no lock was witnessed.
The male however shed on 14 December 2018.

The third lock took place on 20 January 2018



I will update the thread from time to time as and when I witness events.

[cchardwick]

Nice! I just ran the genetic calculator on that pair, looks like you could get quite a few possibilities:

Percent	Fraction	Genes
6.25 %	1/16	Normal (Wild Type, Classic)
6.25 %	1/16	Mojave
12.5 %	1/8	Pastel (Pastel Jungle)
6.25 %	1/16	Enchi
12.5 %	1/8	Pastave (Mojave Pastel)
6.25 %	1/16	Super Pastel
6.25 %	1/16	Enchi Mojave (Mochi)
12.5 %	1/8	Enchi Pastel
6.25 %	1/16	Mojave Super Pastel
6.25 %	1/16	Enchi Super Pastel
12.5 %	1/8	Enchi Mojave Pastel (Enchi Pastave)
6.25 %	1/16	Enchi Mojave Super Pastel

[Reptilius]

Thanks Chris, out of all the possibilities, I would really like to get a Pastel Enchi Mojave.
Time will tell.

Which Genetic Calculator do you use?

Incidentally, I will be using the same male with my Spider Female in about 3 months time.

[Reptilius]

Just a small update.

The Female shed on Saturday 27 January 2018.
I put the male in with her yesterday, and she wanted nothing to do with him.
She also refused the meal offered to her yesterday.

I will be keeping a close watch on her.

[Reptilius]

Some more info. , I put the male back in with her this past weekend. She stays on the cool side and he on the warm side.
I must say that on initial introduction, he definitely tries for a while, but she is not interested.

I weighed all the snakes yesterday.

She has not eaten for 2 months, and has dropped 44gr. in weight. She refused to eat again yesterday.
Should I be worried?

[zina10]

I wouldn't worry to much.

My females also stopped eating some time into the breedings..

They all caught up quickly again after the season was over.

[Reptilius]

Thanks Zina, Just that I am new to Ball Pythons.
I have bred Colubrids in the past and on the whole they just eat all through the process, excepting maybe for the last three weeks or so.

[Reptilius]

So the first lock occurred 52 days ago.
In the past week or so, I have been looking in on the female every morning and every evening, without really knowing what i should be seeing.
I have been hoping to witness my first ever ovulation.

So this morning when I looked in on her before going to work, she looked a bit lumpy and seems to be fairly large towards the rear end.
Once again taking into account more than two months without eating, is the possible start of her ovulation.

[cchardwick]

I find it to be very difficult to tell just by looking at the snake, especially a bigger female. If you have access to someone with an ultrasound you can scan her and measure the follicles to see how she is coming along. Or you can palpate for follicles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlX9y6wyrsw

[zina10]

It could be the beginning of a ovulation. She certainly looks like she is brewing something

However, once the actual ovulation is going on, you will see a DISTINCT swelling. Looks like they ate a small rabbit. They cannot "bend" that swollen part anymore..

Here are 2 pics of 2 of my females during ovulation..