Snakes and Stones Pr. 2

[Lord Sorril]

It is July 1st today and I thought I should check my eggs because it is 'getting to be about that time' where they start hatching.

I checked my first clutch and there was dimpling, but, no pips. I checked my second clutch for good measure and there were no pips...BUT there was a hatchling already out! What the heck? This one couldn't wait-apparently...


First hatchling of the season!

Breeders Note: I can't quite tell what is going on with my female ball pythons. I see follicle growth progression in a variety of my breeders and it is getting 'late' for follicles. I collected my clutch #18 the other day but there are still several females that may potentially lay eggs. I remember hatching out ball pythons on Thanksgiving one year...it becomes problematic because I don't heat that wing of the house.

I have been soaking my Super Blade male regularly now in an attempt to alleviate any potential breeding issues due to stuck shed. Yesterday I placed him in an enclosure with a female who is on the verge of ovulating and I saw him lock--for a few hours! I probably shouldn't--but now I have high hopes of getting additional clutches from him...(right now I still only have 1 out of 16--with most having reabsorbed already).

[Lord Sorril]

I hope everyone that celebrates had a great 4th of July!

My clutch #1 has started to pip (I already spot a keeper in there).

My clutch #2 has almost finished hatching. It was a proof clutch:
Pastel/Het Gravel or Yellow Belly (YB) x Spider/Het Gravel or YB

An Ivory would have told me that both parents were Het for YB.
A Super Gravel would have told me that both parents were Het for Gravel
And a Highway...would tell me we got one copy of each gene going on...not surprising...but would look cool.

Lololol...Looks Cool!
I really suspect that for the parents: the male is Gravel and the female is Yellow Belly. I'm going to bet on it next season...

Rodent Breeders Note: We had a long heat wave over the last two weeks in my area. Whenever this happens my *new* mouse matings turn into food grinders. I'm not sure why this happens, but they convert and do not stop (ever). They have to be fed off or else they will grind outrageous amounts of food (they don't eat it--they just chew it to dust). Pre-Existing mouse breeders do not do this, only new upcoming matings. I know there is a condition called 'Heat Shock' which alters behavior, but it is odd that it is only with mice that have not been bred yet...this is a cycle i witness every year during the hot months.

[Homebody]

Rodent Breeders Note: We had a long heat wave over the last two weeks in my area. Whenever this happens my *new* mouse matings turn into food grinders. I'm not sure why this happens, but they convert and do not stop (ever). They have to be fed off or else they will grind outrageous amounts of food (they don't eat it--they just chew it to dust). Pre-Existing mouse breeders do not do this, only new upcoming matings. I know there is a condition called 'Heat Shock' which alters behavior, but it is odd that it is only with mice that have not been bred yet...this is a cycle i witness every year during the hot months.

Fascinating!

[Bogertophis]

....
Rodent Breeders Note: We had a long heat wave over the last two weeks in my area. Whenever this happens my *new* mouse matings turn into food grinders. I'm not sure why this happens, but they convert and do not stop (ever). They have to be fed off or else they will grind outrageous amounts of food (they don't eat it--they just chew it to dust). Pre-Existing mouse breeders do not do this, only new upcoming matings. I know there is a condition called 'Heat Shock' which alters behavior, but it is odd that it is only with mice that have not been bred yet...this is a cycle i witness every year during the hot months.

I never saw any of that with the zillions of mice I raised for decades. That's very interesting, to say the least? But I have to wonder: just how warm did your mice get to cause this?

[Lord Sorril]

I never saw any of that with the zillions of mice I raised for decades. That's very interesting, to say the least? But I have to wonder: just how warm did your mice get to cause this?

It was about 90-98F outside with close to 100% humidity for over a week. My rodents are kept in the basement and I ventilate my house with top-down negative pressure (to keep ammonia fumes from rising into the house). With air conditioning the basement temperature was hovering around 80-85F (+humidity). There were no losses in my population due to heat, but I had to refill A LOT of water bottles.

[Bogertophis]

Ah, no wonder I never saw that behavior. Mine never got that warm. And for all I know, genetic tendencies might have played a part too, in long established colonies from opposite coasts. Glad you squeaked by with them, no pun intended.