Follicular Development/Ovulation?

[Kourtneyhk]

Hey everyone!

So this is my first season breeding. I've got a female who has definitely gotten HUGE over the past month, and over the past couple weeks, she has been showing a lot of signs of follicular development (cool seeking, trying to cram into her water bowl, bowl wrapping, etc). I haven't seen her on her warm side for probably about a month as well. She is, however, still eating like a champ and never rejects a meal.

How long after you see signs of follicular development do you typically see ovulation? Also, I've read about "tail suck", in reference to the snakes looking like their tails got all of the fat sucked out of them. I read earlier about someone referring to tail suck as a concave depression going from the vent about a third of the way up the females body as a sign of ovulation. I've never heard of this before; is that a common thing?

Just for kicks, here is a couple pictures of her. I have another female that is starting to get big, so just trying to figure out when to really watch her.

Thanks!

[PitOnTheProwl]

Good looking girl.

[ClarkT]

The tail suck is more like a pull on the spine in the tail...if that is any kind of description. It's kind of a zig-zag in the tail, like the inside of the tail bones are retracting towards the body.

As far as when she'll ovy, I can tell you exactly how long it is. FOREVER! haha. It seems to never happen soon enough.

Seriously, though, typically, my females eat until about a month before ovy. I've had a few exceptions to that, and most people will, but that's what I've experienced.

Have you been able to palpate for follicles? I've seen that it takes about 3-6 weeks after they have ~30-35 mm follicles until they ovy (we use ultrasound). I've been able to feel the follicles when they're around the 25mm mark (1"), but when they get in the 30+ range, it seems a lot harder to feel them. It has typically taken about 8-10 weeks from 25mm until they ovy, too. Hope that helps.

[Kourtneyhk]

I have not had any luck feeling follicles, but then again I've never done it before. I've been told they feel somewhat like marbles, all in a row in the lower third of the snake. She's hard to get to relax, so I haven't had a whole lot of luck. I'll definitely keep trying though. I'm just definitely getting anxious. She's been cycled/bred on the same schedule as my other females, who are just now starting to show signs of building, so I feel like she is a bit ahead of the game as far as my other girls go!