Determining status of female pied

[adamfritzsche]

I have a female pied that I am not quite sure what her status is within the breeding cycle (if at all) and am looking for a little help in determining.

The only real background I have on the pair is that the previous owner says he had paired them a few times and witnessed locks on several occasions.

I received her and her male on 5/17.
I fed her on 5/18.
In blue on 5/21, shed on 5/27
and fed again on 5/27.

She has not defecated since I got her and since she was in blue, she looks like she has a severe case of sausage butt, up to this point I thought nothing of it, just been waiting for the poo of a life time.

Today I was playing around trying to palpate my snakes for the first time, and on her I felt a bunch of things that felt like a row of golf balls, right where I should be feeling follicles.

So my question is am I just feeling undigested rats or was this shed a potential prelay shed or am I imagining things.

Most of her behavior would suggest it that she could be gravid, and it would make sense that I did not see an ovy, since it would have been several days before I got her, but then there are things that would indicate a no, like her still eating a few meals, so can they sometimes break the norm and eat some after ovulation?

Any help would be appreciated, as if she really is gravid, I don't have long to get an incubator... was not anticpating this yet, but if so I would definately not be dissapointed.

[sookieball]

She most likely is building.
If she starts laying upside down and soaking then yeah building.
It happens but its very rare for them to feed after ovy
Pictures would help too.

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[Zombie]

I have a female pied that I am not quite sure what her status is within the breeding cycle (if at all) and am looking for a little help in determining.

The only real background I have on the pair is that the previous owner says he had paired them a few times and witnessed locks on several occasions.

I received her and her male on 5/17.
I fed her on 5/18.
In blue on 5/21, shed on 5/27
and fed again on 5/27.

She has not defecated since I got her and since she was in blue, she looks like she has a severe case of sausage butt, up to this point I thought nothing of it, just been waiting for the poo of a life time.

Today I was playing around trying to palpate my snakes for the first time, and on her I felt a bunch of things that felt like a row of golf balls, right where I should be feeling follicles.

So my question is am I just feeling undigested rats or was this shed a potential prelay shed or am I imagining things.

Most of her behavior would suggest it that she could be gravid, and it would make sense that I did not see an ovy, since it would have been several days before I got her, but then there are things that would indicate a no, like her still eating a few meals, so can they sometimes break the norm and eat some after ovulation?

Any help would be appreciated, as if she really is gravid, I don't have long to get an incubator... was not anticpating this yet, but if so I would definately not be dissapointed.

I agree pics would help. What's her behavior been? Cold seeking, bowl wrapping, hot seeking, perfect coiling, laying inverted, etc. Any of that?

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[adamfritzsche]

No, she is really just acting like a normal bp. None of the typical behavior that would indicate anything.

Here are a few pics if you need more or better ones let me know.

Is this sausage butt something to be worried about? She has had it for almost 2 weeks.







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[jbean7916]

Warm bath and a freshly cleaned tub should tell you if that's just constipation. I know it works with mine.

Can you get a couple more pics for us. One like you did but showing most of her length?

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[Wicked Constrictors]

looks like she is needs to poop, warm bath should help that out.

[zeonczk]

I'm facing the same problem too.. But mine urinated.. Hopefully both our ball pythons are gravid.. Looking forward to my 1st clutch..

[Robyn@SYR]

Don't look, uh, "down the pipe" when inspecting her fullness, my first tip : )

Urates or hard poop can create a cork at the end there, and keep things stopped up for a while. Once it pops, it will be a blast off.

We would manually massage that out over a trash can (watch your pants! and your eyes!) but a warm soak for an hour should also help relax her, and probably get things moving.

[adamfritzsche]

Don't look, uh, "down the pipe" when inspecting her fullness, my first tip : )

Urates or hard poop can create a cork at the end there, and keep things stopped up for a while. Once it pops, it will be a blast off.

We would manually massage that out over a trash can (watch your pants! and your eyes!) but a warm soak for an hour should also help relax her, and probably get things moving.

Yeah, I am been occassionaly soaking her, and massaging the area, but have been a little hesitant lately as she is a very mellow snake, but as I massage her rear, I can tell she definately does not like it.