A Few ?s About Gravid Females

[DeepSouthSerpents]

Hi, this is my first year breeding, just had a few questions about my gravid female:
- I'm guessing handling should be kept to a minimum during egg development? I'm asking because I have given her a few baths over the past couple days to help with her post ovulation shed, and she still gets taken out to eat every other week (small rat) but she definately doesn't get the near-daily socialization like she normally would because I want to leave her alone as much as possible.
- How big are the eggs at this point? I'm even scared to palpatate her, I guess I'm just scared about hurting her. I've seen the Ralph Davis step-by-step pictures but I'm not yet confident to do it myself... I would be so upset if something happened to her eggs.
- When should the glowing start? From now to egg laying?
Thanks for your help! I appreciate any input

[Fearless]

Hi, this is my first year breeding, just had a few questions about my gravid female:
- I'm guessing handling should be kept to a minimum during egg development? I'm asking because I have given her a few baths over the past couple days to help with her post ovulation shed, and she still gets taken out to eat every other week (small rat) but she definately doesn't get the near-daily socialization like she normally would because I want to leave her alone as much as possible.
- How big are the eggs at this point? I'm even scared to palpatate her, I guess I'm just scared about hurting her. I've seen the Ralph Davis step-by-step pictures but I'm not yet confident to do it myself... I would be so upset if something happened to her eggs.
- When should the glowing start? From now to egg laying?
Thanks for your help! I appreciate any input

I haven't been doing this enough to reassure you that palpating for eggs wont hurt them. The glow is between the preovulation and ovulation. And its somewhat difficult to answer your question about egg size without you stating when ovulation was and when her pre lay shed was. One other thought is you say she is still eating? Most females wont touch a rat after ovulation.

[briz]

Are you sure she ovulated? The GLOW comes before ovulation happens. If she is gravid just spray her with a spray bottle instead of soaking her.

Me personally, I leave my females be once they have their POS. Also almost all of my females will not eat at this time so if your's is still eating you can be 99.9% sure she is not gravid.

[DeepSouthSerpents]

Ok thanks for the info. Yea I had her mating with a pastel male for a month (with some breaks at 2-3 days at a time), they were locked up everyday they were together. Then the last time I put him back in they did not lock at all and he stayed in the opposite end of the tank from her. So after 3 days of no action I took him out for good since I figured they were done... The breeder I got him from told me to keep them together until they quit. This was about a month ago. She's been getting thicker and thicker ever since is why I was sure she was gravid, she's been basking a ton more and been curling up between her water container and the glass. I really couldn't tell if she ovulated because she still has been eating, could have looked like a meal to me. And it is possible I missed it when she was in her hidebox because from what all I've read on here it only lasts for a day or so? So since she is still eating there is no way she's gravid? Should I try to put a male back in again or just keep watching her closely? Again thanks for the advice

[Wh00h0069]

If she is still eating then she is most likely not gravid. Keep breeding her. I do not handle my breeding females except when cleaning their cages. I suggest daily misting instead of giving her a bath.

Good luck.

[briz]

Ok thanks for the info. Yea I had her mating with a pastel male for a month (with some breaks at 2-3 days at a time), they were locked up everyday they were together. Then the last time I put him back in they did not lock at all and he stayed in the opposite end of the tank from her. So after 3 days of no action I took him out for good since I figured they were done... The breeder I got him from told me to keep them together until they quit. This was about a month ago. She's been getting thicker and thicker ever since is why I was sure she was gravid, she's been basking a ton more and been curling up between her water container and the glass. I really couldn't tell if she ovulated because she still has been eating, could have looked like a meal to me. And it is possible I missed it when she was in her hidebox because from what all I've read on here it only lasts for a day or so? So since she is still eating there is no way she's gravid? Should I try to put a male back in again or just keep watching her closely? Again thanks for the advice

Put the male in again and keep watching her closely. She may be building. Keep watching, if you check her daily it will be hard to miss ovulation.