Follicle growth/stages ..

[T_Sauer]

I was palpating one of my females tonight as I put her back in her tub after I finished cleaning and counted 6 possibly 7 follicles. This is my first time ever actually feeling follicles. Without a doubt I for sure felt 6, the first 3 or so were about the size of a ping pong ball maybe a tad smaller and the last couple seemed to get a little smaller in size as my finger got closer to the end of her body. I purchased this female a proven breeder in July 2014 she had just laid a clutch two months before I purchased her, and she has not been paired while she has been with me. My question is, do non fertilized follicles reach this size? Or is it possible that she has retained sperm and I could possibly have and unexpected clutch on the way??

[coldbloodaddict]

I would not rely on retained sperm to get the job done...Put a male with her.

[T_Sauer]

The female at topic is a Het. Caramel Albino, I was not planning on breeding her this year because I havent been able to get a Visual male to pair her with. If she does happen to pop out some fertile eggs however, I am prepaired for them as I have some other pairings I have been making with the rest of my collection. I'm more less trying to get a lil education on follicles, as this is my first season breeding. Another female that I have that has been locked twice over the past month and a half and I cant even feel a trace of follicles in her. Then this female I just happen to check as I was putting her back in the rack (more less practicing) and bam I feel plain as day at least 6 almost ping pong size firm follicles ...

[dr del]

Well all follicles are UN-fertilised - that happens at ovulation and they are called eggs thereafter.

If you don't want to breed her then all you can do is avoid putting a male in - retained sperm is beyond our ability to control.

So yes I'd keep an eye on her and prepare if she goes to ovulation.

[Jt balls]

If they are this as big as a ping pong ball as u said then she will more than likely ovulate. It would be a wast of the animals reserves not to put a male in with here. If drops a cluth of infertile eggs then that female has lost more than 1/3 of her body weight for no good reason. If she ovulates and there is no fresh sperm to fertilise the eggs then she will still drop a clutch of sluggs

[Alicia]

If they are this as big as a ping pong ball as u said then she will more than likely ovulate. It would be a wast of the animals reserves not to put a male in with here. If drops a cluth of infertile eggs then that female has lost more than 1/3 of her body weight for no good reason. If she ovulates and there is no fresh sperm to fertilise the eggs then she will still drop a clutch of sluggs

Not necessarily -- I had a female give me 8 viable eggs a couple years ago, using nearly three-year-old retained sperm.

There's still time for her to resorb her follicles (I've had a girl get to the very edge of ovy before resorbing), but I second dr del. If she ovulates, be ready with the incubator just in case she gives good eggs.

[Jt balls]

Not necessarily -- I had a female give me 8 viable eggs a couple years ago, using nearly three-year-old retained sperm.

There's still time for her to resorb her follicles (I've had a girl get to the very edge of ovy before resorbing), but I second dr del. If she ovulates, be ready with the incubator just in case she gives good eggs.

Yea all true but this is rare. the piont I was trying to make is that the closer she get to ovulation the less likely she is to reabsorbe. So if she is going to drop, u may as well do all you can to ensure that it is a viable clutch. Otherwise its all just a waist if you are going to rely on retaind sperm

[Viol8r]

Agreed. I would throw the Pied or Hypo Spider in with her.

[Alicia]

Yea all true but this is rare. the piont I was trying to make is that the closer she get to ovulation the less likely she is to reabsorbe. So if she is going to drop, u may as well do all you can to ensure that it is a viable clutch. Otherwise its all just a waist if you are going to rely on retaind sperm

Totally! But it sounds like she's kind of a project snake for the OP, I can see how he wouldn't want to throw another male in with her. To be honest, if she were a visual morph, I'd be all like, go for it! As a het that he wants a visual male for, I would lean toward letting the chips fall where they may this year and sticking with original plans.

[T_Sauer]

Agreed. I would throw the Pied or Hypo Spider in with her.

I have considered this earlier when I started pairing my stock and still had no visual Caramel Albino male to pair with her. However I ruled out the Hypo Spider male due to the spider and caramel genes both having hereditary issues .... The pied male, well that's still an option I just don't really wanna get stuck with a clutch that I'm going to have a hard time getting rid of.