Question About Breeding/Not Eating

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

Warning: ignorant newbie!

I have a large 2200 female. She is a normal. At the bottom of this post I will include recent (last week) photos of her. Her name is Jake (she came with that name ) and she is definitely at least a few years old. We've had her for a solid year, and she was big when we got her.

OK, Jake has always been somewhat mild mannered girl. I've never once heard her hiss, and when she is handled she is very docile and not a stressed-out type of snake at all.

She's never been a problem eater. She spends her whole day and night snoozing in her hide out cave, just going to get a drink or soak now and then.

On February 23, I placed her with Kamala, my male 100% het pied from 8-Ball (I did not own a visual pied yet, and had no idea I would be getting one now, so I was going to try to make possible hets to breed back to the male 100% het).

The snakes wasted little time, and I saw them lock more than once. I removed her and placed her back with him one other time the following week.

Never again did she come into contact with any other snake.

Kamala, the male, stopped eating for a few weeks at this time. He then resumed and has been his usual self- calm, docile, a great eater, and a real pleasure.

Jake ate like normal for about a month and a half, but as of late April, she has stopped eating. She is in glowing health as far as I can see. Is there any chance she's actually going to lay eggs from that breeding way back then? I'm pretty confused (and probably will be until I see it with my own eyes) about how the breeding cycle works to be honest. Dogs are a lot simpler!

We're concerned, so she's seeing our awesome snake vet this week, just to be sure she's okay. Assuming she's not gravid, and I'd guess there is no way she is, then I will eventually breed her with my pied male or my black pastel male or my pastel male; I'm not sure yet.

Anyway, here she is...

[Jay_Bunny]

Female snakes that are going through a breeding season tend not to eat at all. I began pairing my female with a het pied male in September. I didn't get a pre-lay shed until February 23rd, and didn't get eggs from her until May 4th. So it can take a long time. As soon as I gave her a week to rest, she ate a small meal and is now tossing back small rats like they are candy. I wouldn't worry too much. Akina went from September to the second week of May with no food. She was 1800g (right before I bred her and I also weighed her while she was gravid. She remained the same weight). After laying eggs she was 1300g. The eggs weighed 501g. So she lost 500g during the breeding season and that all went literally into making 500g worth of eggs. haha. I would not worry. Give her some time.

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

Thanks!

So it is still actually possible that she could lay some eggs? That would be awesome. I wouldn't keep any except maybe a female or two just because; they would just be possible hets and I wouldn't have any real need for them now. But it sure would be a cool learning experience.

[Jay_Bunny]

I would say she still has a chance. Mine took 5 months (after introduction to the male) to ovulate and go through a pre-lay shed and then another 2 months and a couple of weeks to actually lay eggs.

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

Wow. How many times and for how long (up to what date) did you put her with the male?

Thanks so much!!

[LadyOhh]

It is absolutely possible that she is gravid.

Watch for sheds, and count down from 30.

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

It is absolutely possible that she is gravid.

Watch for sheds, and count down from 30.

30 days after she sheds, she could have eggs?

[LadyOhh]

30 days after she sheds, she could have eggs?

Yes....

[Jay_Bunny]

30 days is the average.

I really should have been keeping track more but I wasn't. I paired her with him for the first time in late September and was pairing them about every other week or so. At one point I didn't pair them for a month or more. Looks like he got the job done though. Keep us updated!

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

Thanks! Sorry I am so ignorant! But, I am trying to learn. Best way for me to learn is to do! Thanks for the help, both of you

She hasn't shed yet, but I'll be watching for sure (I always do anyway). She's my favorite