Follicle size and ovulation question.

[BjDavid]

i am a first time breeder. I have 3 females with follicles ranging from 32mm to 35mm. i have introduced my male since nov 1 and maybe locked with my females atleast 4 times each. as of today i have not seen ovulation but they are all plump and seems to be doing well. all of them seems to be glowing. i will try to post pics off them. my question, is it possible that i was never able to get a "true lock" from my male since the follicle sizes are large enough for ovulation to take place?

[twistedtails]

Females will develop follicles with or without a male. They can even go on to lay infertile eggs without the male present. On some very rare occasions, she go on to create exact replicas of herself(parthenogenesis). I would not worry though, just continue to pair them up 3 days on and 3 days off with each female. Males can penetrate a female in ways we think is not possible and I am sure he did his job. Keep us posted though.

[Sloanreptiles]

Females will ovulate at 45mm, so keep pairing them.

[Jay_Bunny]

If you can't measure in mm, what is that the equivalent to? (marble, golf ball, etc)

[BjDavid]

thanks guys. ill post pics of them later. i am 70% sure that my spider is ovulating now. i think.

[Sloanreptiles]

If they are only around 35mm then shes not ovulating, probably just building the first year we used our Ultrasound we thought a couple females were ovulating but a couple weeks later they ovulated!

[docturgonzo]

Im really struggling with finding follicles , i think im just really bad at it. Once they get to a decent size are they practically unmissable?

I have given up feeling for them this season as i just depress myself because i cant feel any.. Lots of locks , normally i just leave them be but this is a skill i want to get down to a fine art

All the videos show how to feel for them but never what part ie in the middle of the underside, to the sides ect they will be.

The reason im asking again is that im sat at work and someone has just thrown a golfball at me. If i cant feel them in a snake i might aswell chop off my fingers becasue they arent working lol

[dr del]

Hi,

It takes practice for sure - and with the big girl I have she tenses up so much I can't feel anything (she's a bit of a nervous nellie ).

When they are smaller they seem to lie pretty much along the center line but as they get bigger they do seem to have to move slightly offset to one another to fit in. So near the end I always seem to end up feeling them like this;

o
 o
o
 o
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But having the snakes belly be relaxed seems to be the most important thing - if they cooperate you can feel them as small as a marble very easily.

If they don't cooperate you can be struggling to feel anything at all.


dr del

[docturgonzo]

Thanks Doc

That was a good help. Iv also noticed on the videos explaining this that they always put the ball in the tub and let it drape down abit. Does this help?

Ill have to get them ultra relaxed tonight and have a go with them. I did feel a couple of marble sized lumps in my smallest female the other day and was dancing around the room like a man posessed . my Missus wasnt so happy for me. Since then i cant feel anything in any of them

Brilliant post tho doc Thanks again

[twistedtails]

Thanks Doc

That was a good help. Iv also noticed on the videos explaining this that they always put the ball in the tub and let it drape down abit. Does this help?

Ill have to get them ultra relaxed tonight and have a go with them. I did feel a couple of marble sized lumps in my smallest female the other day and was dancing around the room like a man posessed . my Missus wasnt so happy for me. Since then i cant feel anything in any of them

Brilliant post tho doc Thanks again

You may not be applying enough pressure. You pretty much want to flatten her out where she is moving through your hand. Another thing, your females may not even have follicles at this point. When did you start introducing?