Question about timing during breeding

[hfritchy]

Yes you do need to put the male in when the female develops (follicle growth), however you obviously no longer need to be pairing once the female ovulates (at that point she is done and will lay)

If you have limited experience I will recommend that you pair until you witness an ovulation. Of course you also need to pay attention to your female as well and know when to stop (not all females will take and there is no need to persevere if you do not see any progress)

Now if you have an ultrasound machine you can determine when to stop pairing by the size of the follicle and concentrate on other females. You can also try to determine that by palpating but it's obvious a lot more difficult to gauge follicle size like that.

It can take as little as 1 lock and as many as 5 or 6 and sometimes you witness lock and nothing happens, so pay attention to your female.

Okay, thank you. I've been checking her twice a day pretty much and I think I saw her ovulate, but I don't feel 100% sure. I had put the male back in and they kind of stayed away from each other. Whenever I went to check on them they were apart and on separate sides of the bin. My uncle said I should just leave him out because if she still wanted/needed to breed they would do it. She's just still laying on her side wrapped around the water, but I felt her side and to me it felt like four very obvious (and eggs shaped) bumps.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Okay, thank you. I've been checking her twice a day pretty much and I think I saw her ovulate, but I don't feel 100% sure. I had put the male back in and they kind of stayed away from each other. Whenever I went to check on them they were apart and on separate sides of the bin. My uncle said I should just leave him out because if she still wanted/needed to breed they would do it. She's just still laying on her side wrapped around the water, but I felt her side and to me it felt like four very obvious (and eggs shaped) bumps.

If she is still bowl wrapping and on the cool side she has not ovulated, once female ovulate they seek the hot spot.

Because you pair them does not mean that you will witness a lock every time especially if you disturb them to much, the bumps you are felling are likely follicles which get as big as golf bowls near ovulation.

[hfritchy]

If she is still bowl wrapping and on the cool side she has not ovulated, once female ovulate they seek the hot spot.

Because you pair them does not mean that you will witness a lock every time especially if you disturb them to much, the bumps you are felling are likely follicles which get as big as golf bowls near ovulation.

Okay. If she's that close to ovulation would that mean I don't need to put him in with her anymore, or should I keep putting them together just to be safe?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Okay. If she's that close to ovulation would that mean I don't need to put him in with her anymore, or should I keep putting them together just to be safe?

It's up to you, I have not observe the animal in person nor do I know what size follicles you think you felt (if that is what you felt) so I can't tell you what to do.

Until you are comfortable and capable of recognizing each step I would recommend that you pair until you witness an ovulation. (better be safe than sorry)