Pre-lay soak?

[reptile_jake]

Ok so lately Ive been getting kind of discouraged with breeding my ball pythons because I started pairing in late October and have witnessed at least 5 locks with each of my 4 females and have not seen one ovy but last week my pastel girl was soaking in her water bowl. Is this a for sure sign that she could be going into her pre lay shed?(she is in deep shed right now) She was also laying inverted a day or 2 after soaking too. I hope this is how Im supose to post pics...

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6be67bbb.jpg

[Aes_Sidhe]

It looks like textbook example but You gonna know when You get eggs... just ine case i will test incubator in your place...

[joebad976]

Get the bator cranked up looks like a good sign to me. She is at least building.

[SlitherinSisters]

You want to copy the IMG Code link to the right and then paste that into your post.




It looks like she's building, keep pairing. I've been breeding 9 females since October/November and have only had 2 ovulations, one of which just happened today. It's still plenty early in the season, be patient

[majorleaguereptiles]

She ovulated already and will be having a pre-lay shed shortly. Then approx 30 days you will have eggs. Looks good!

[reptile_jake]

Thanks for the responses, hopefully I'll be updating this thread with some egg pics next month! She locked with my male again but hasn't shed yet so hopefully in the next few days.

[Snakydan]

Hi, it looks pretty promising that she is building, just wondering had she have taken any meals for the past 4 weeks ?

Most of my females started rejecting food prior eggs laying, before their ovulation.

Good luck !!

[snakesRkewl]

nobody can tell you a soaking ball has ovy'd, my females never soak after ovy.
Soaking is a cooling thing, after ovy they seek heat.

we've bred since October also and have numerous females in glow and close to ovy, and one ovy last week, so you season isn't abnormal, just long.

You need to offer up more information, like when she last shed ...
Has she glowed, they always glow before ovulating.

[reptile_jake]

She hasnt eatin in 4-6 weeks and i honestly dont remember when she shed last but it was a good 6 weeks i think... as for glowing i think she may have been but honestly I always am the worst at seeing signs because I think that Im just seeing things that I want to see haha.

[majorleaguereptiles]

nobody can tell you a soaking ball has ovy'd, my females never soak after ovy.
Soaking is a cooling thing, after ovy they seek heat.

I've had MANY females soak between ovulation and pre-lay shed. Not sure what breeding guide you are using, but from over the 100 ball python clutches I've hatched, I've seen quite a bit of pre lay shed soaking...

I stop pairing females when follicles are at 30mm. This female is done.. Plain and simple.

You should be able to palpate and feel any follicles over 20mm, without the use of an ultrasound or even visually see when a female is done, much as the OP has described the behavior this female is presenting.

My guess is she probably has a pink belly, and is heading into a shed cycle.... Just a hunch there... Keep us posted OP.