Virgin laid slugs

[jusaf]

Hi,

I am getting started with the whole ball python breeding thing and since last year have acquired several balls. All good and dandy but at the beginning of last month i purchased an unproven female adult from 2013 (about 1400g at the time). She was in shed, few days later she shed fine although the shed was of a weird green color. Refused to eat so far (i tried both live and f/t). About a week or two ago i put one of my males (about 1600g) in for a couple of days but didnt see any locks, in fact they could not look more uninterested by each other.

Anyway about 3 days ago while checking on my snakes i noticed she had laid 4 slugs! As far as i know she had never been locked while in the care of the previous owner.

Why did this happen? I did some googling and couldn't find anything relevant about this.
Is this something i should be concerned about? I just tried to feed her again and still no luck.

Like i said i'm still learning so any information / words of wisdom are greatly appreciated, thanks!

[PitOnTheProwl]

Females can produce slugs throughout their lives part of being a female.
I am more concerned with your lack of quarantine and gamble with your animals...

[jusaf]

Ok thanks, and i did quarantine them for several weeks, all was fine. What do you mean by gambling?

[piedlover79]

Most people quarantine for several months not weeks, usually at least 90 days is my rule of quarantine. Reptiles are masters at hiding illnesses and it can take months to know they are ill with infectious diseases.

[piedlover79]

As for laying slugs, that does happen from time to time even without any breeding. I'd check the rest of the environment, temp, size and type of enclosure, and if she has a good hide as far as getting her eating. Although she probably wasn't eating due to having the slugs in her and now that they are out she should settle into eating easier. I'd treat her like she laid some eggs and clean her and the cage up to remove the egg scent.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Ok thanks, and i did quarantine them for several weeks, all was fine. What do you mean by gambling?

Months.... 90 days is the minimum if I know the person I am getting an new snake from. If I don't know then its 6 to 12 months.
Illness can be dormant for months.
Not worth the risk to my collection to rush the process, any breeding can wait.

[Slaugbr1]

Months.... 90 days is the minimum if I know the person I am getting an new snake from. If I don't know then its 6 to 12 months.
Illness can be dormant for months.
Not worth the risk to my collection to rush the process, any breeding can wait.

Hey pit I have always wondered about this. Yes i know we quarantine i do it as well. However everytime i go to snake show and there are 100 stands packed in together. People go from holding 1 persons snakes to anothers all day long. The snakes that are not sold surely go home. Arent every single vendor risking their own collection? Or is thier a for sale room always quarantined. I know i clean up well when iam leaving just so i dont bring anything back.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Arent every single vendor risking their own collection? Or is thier a for sale room always quarantined. I know i clean up well when iam leaving just so i dont bring anything back.

The few I deal with do QT everything that goes to a show.
I am not big on shows because of this either.
This was also the first and last time I ever had mites.

[jusaf]

Thanks for all the answers guys, i'll definitely be quarantining for longer periods of time from now on!