Golden Showers

[xdeus]

<sigh> Okay, I get home tonight and go to check on a pair that I've been trying to breed. As soon as I enter the room I smell that familiar smell of urine/urates. I pull out the cage with the pair and the smell hits me so I proceed to pull out the entire tray to clean them up and put them in a fresh cage. I didn't expect them to be locked up as the girl has been playing hard-to-get for the past few weeks, but sure enough they're going at it.

So now the dilemma. Do I try to move them or just let them be in a pool full of urine? I'm paranoid of harming the male, but I'm not sure of the harm that might occur by letting them stew in the urine for perhaps a full day.

[jglass38]

Clean them up by whatever means necessary. They will lock up again. Its unsanitary and dangerous for them to lie there in a pool of urine.

[xdeus]

Whew! Okay, I moved them with some help from my wife. They seemed like they barely notice, but I think they appreciate their clean cage now.

Thanks for giving me that extra motivation.

[jglass38]

Good to hear!!

[Adam_Wysocki]

I would have left them ... chances are, they'd be separated by the morning and 10 hours or so in a dirty wet cage won't do any harm. Ball pythons get NASTY when breeding, it's just part of the game. Sometimes, keeping cages too clean during breeding season works against you ... some pairs actually breed more actively in dirty cages. Keep em too clean and they just don't get in the mood.

I use paper as a substrate, so for the wet, I would have just carefully added more paper or paper towels around them to soak it up ... I definitely would not have moved them mid lock ... all kinds of things can go wrong.

-adam

[xdeus]

I definitely would not have moved them mid lock ... all kinds of things can go wrong.

Don't you know you're supposed to be on this forum 24/7 to answer emergency questions like this? Well, live and learn. I'm glad nothing bad happened, but at least now I know what to do if this happens again. I remember in a previous post you mentioned that you moved locked pairs, so that also went into my decision. Under what circumstances do you recommend moving them?

[Adam_Wysocki]

Don't you know you're supposed to be on this forum 24/7 to answer emergency questions like this? Well, live and learn. I'm glad nothing bad happened, but at least now I know what to do if this happens again. I remember in a previous post you mentioned that you moved locked pairs, so that also went into my decision. Under what circumstances do you recommend moving them?

You could have called dude! ... I was up to my ears in snake doo doo, but my cell was within arms reach.

I've moved locked pairs in the past, but have learned a lot since then ... plus my snakes are more expensive now and lessers and pins without hemipenes ain't cool. .

Long ago when I didn't know any better I used to move locked pairs to clean tubs ... LOL ... now, if a pair is locked up we just skip them and check the tub again later in the week.

You only get a very short window to breed during the year and each copulation is a precious event ... no need to mess with it.

-adam

[xdeus]

You could have called dude! ... I was up to my ears in snake doo doo, but my cell was within arms reach.

Yet another reason why I try not to borrow other people's cell phones. I'll keep that in mind, although I hope your wife doesn't mind late night calls, what with the time difference and all.

You only get a very short window to breed during the year and each copulation is a precious event ... no need to mess with it..

Tell me about it. So far I've had luck with 2 of my 3 big gals, but my oldest doesn't seem to be interested. Time to dig up some old Barry White albums...

[cassandra]

Time to dig up some old Barry White albums...

LOLOLOL!!!1!1!

[jglass38]

Well definitely forgive me for the wrong advice. I believed it to be way worse for them to spend half a day sitting in urine. Live and learn...