What rate of weight gain should I expect from my gravid female Ball Python?

[boles27]

I am definitely inexperienced at this, so you can save the typical comments of " Don't get into it if ya don't know what you are doing". I am only looking for real advice here. I have a Ball Python that was thought to be male as it was adopted to me from a "science and nature" center. I for what ever reason never bothered to double check what they told me as I never planned to breed. Though I did recently purchase another BP that I did check and KNOW was a male. Either way upon housing them together for a while late this winter, They locked up to my suprise. i decided to go ahead and sex her after that and was wonderfully surprised to find that she was indeed a female.
Sooo... I have begun preparations in case the lock "took". I have built a well functioning incubator, seriously monitored her behavior and environment and been doing as much research as I possibly can to be prepared. She had shed and eaten about a week before the "lock" and has refused food since. She shed again approximately 1 month later and developed all the signs I have read about since. I.E. ridged back, looks liked she swallowed a football in the lower third of her body, Awkward laying belly up and curling around water bowl and all.
The thing that is really throwing me off is that her weight is approximately the same. I don't have the most accurate scale but she was 2608 before the lock and is only 2630 now even though she is obviously much thicker looking than before. I can't seem to find anybody who has documented weight change throughout ovulation, could the lack of her feeding account for a balance in weight from the growth of the egg?
It has also been 25 days now since that shed, She has been spending most of her time in the lay box I made for her curled up for the past 4 or 5 days.
***Like I said any genuine thoughts, advice, or input would be seriously appreciated.
Also her mouth tissues look fine and she seems to be breathing normally, I haven't gone to a vet yet but would if someone thinks I have some serious cause for concern here.

[fatSNAKEs]

hi, glad to help. First if you've witnessed the Ovy, that's a telltale sign and a;so agree with the ridge-back too and refusing to eat. However would agree with your concerns on the weight though. I bred a dozen different girls this season and began religiously tracking weights since Aug-13. I measured growth in every girl, although the range varied:

Ivory x Blackhead 708gms
Butter Daddy x Butter 700gms
Pastel Het Axanthic x Blackhead 632gms
Calico x Blackhead 574gms
Lav Albino PH Dream x Dbl Het Dream 498gms
Butter Daddy #1 x Butter 496gms
Calider x Blackhead 494gms
Killerbee PH Axanthic x Axanthic Pastel 482gms
Calico-Pastel x Super Pastel 466gms
Firebee x Butter 434gms
Pinstripe x Blackhead/Butterbee 400gms
Butterpin x Super Pastel 395gms

[grcforce327]

I can't seem to find anybody who has documented weight change throughout ovulation.

With ovulation only lasting 1-2 days,why in the world would there be much of a weight change??? To answer the question in the title,there won't be a big change from after ovulation(being gravid),to the time they are ready to lay.

[grcforce327]

hi, glad to help. First if you've witnessed the Ovy, that's a telltale sign and a;so agree with the ridge-back too and refusing to eat. However would agree with your concerns on the weight though. I bred a dozen different girls this season and began religiously tracking weights since Aug-13. I measured growth in every girl, although the range varied:

Ivory x Blackhead 708gms
Butter Daddy x Butter 700gms
Pastel Het Axanthic x Blackhead 632gms
Calico x Blackhead 574gms
Lav Albino PH Dream x Dbl Het Dream 498gms
Butter Daddy #1 x Butter 496gms
Calider x Blackhead 494gms
Killerbee PH Axanthic x Axanthic Pastel 482gms
Calico-Pastel x Super Pastel 466gms
Firebee x Butter 434gms
Pinstripe x Blackhead/Butterbee 400gms
Butterpin x Super Pastel 395gms

There is no way any of these you listed,changed that much from the time they were gravid(post ovu),to just before they layed ; as asked by the OP.

[fatSNAKEs]

you're right my bad ... read too quickly. Weights depicted were August pre-breeding up until pre-lay. Sorry to mislead.

[CD CONSTRICTORS]

Fresh water daily is paramount for gravid females. They know what they are doing, and drinking water while not eating accounts for some amount of weight "maintenance". They surely will not gain 100g of water weight, but not losing weight is the key.

Water your girls daily

[boles27]

Thanks to all for info. I guess that is my real concern though, she still is approximately the same weight as she was at time of breeding. We definitely are keeping her fresh water and maintaining her enclosure thoroughly. So all I can do is hope she is well and see what happens if she stays off feed and lays nothing after another two weeks of watching her or makes an immediate change in behavior I guess we'll get her into a vet then.