Ultrasounding

[SatanicIntention]

I am taking two of my breeding females with me tomorrow to see my teachers, one of which is an awesome exotics vet. We have a state of the art ultrasound system that I am free to use(if I knew how to run it, haha).

I am just asking what I need to be looking for in regards to follicle size, what the follicles actually look like, etc. Any information experienced breeders who ultrasound can give me, the better. I'm sure Dr. Garretson knows what she is doing and looking at, but I'd like to know too

Thanks in advance!

[muddoc]

Right behind the Gall bladder (football shaped dark object on the screen), you should start looking for something that looks like a string of pearls. I have seen follicles as small as 5 mm and as lasrge as 40 mm. Typically after about 26 mm, the females won't reabsorb, but anything is possible. They tend to ovulate near the 40 mm mark. If the female is developing strongly, she will grow about 5-6 mm per week. This is what I have learned and witnessed from Sean at Exotics by Nature. Hope that helps.

[SatanicIntention]

Thanks Tim. I've been palpating both girls 1-2 times weekly and have felt good growth differences each time. They both started out with follicles the size of small marbles and now both have about 6-8 each(or more, it's hard to tell sometimes with the bigger girl) that are about the size of smaller golfballs. Hopefully that's a good sign!

[muddoc]

Becky, in my experience, I have noticed that when the follicles get to be about 20 mm, is when you can feel them when palpating. I have felt them before at 18 mm, but not very often. At 20 mm when I can feel them, following the 5 mm/week rule, they should ovulate about four weeks after you feel them the first time. So far it is a opretty good guide, but always has exceptions.

[Mendel's Balls]

I am taking two of my breeding females with me tomorrow to see my teachers, one of which is an awesome exotics vet. We have a state of the art ultrasound system that I am free to use(if I knew how to run it, haha).

Very cool, will you be able to get some digital sonographs to show us on here?

Great info muddoc.

Found this paper on sonography in gravid snakes. Dont think it's officially peer reviewed, but interesting nonetheless.

[Spaniard]

Very cool, will you be able to get some digital sonographs to show us on here?

Great info muddoc.

Found this paper on sonography in gravid snakes. Dont think its officially peer review, but interesting nonetheless.

That link doesn't seem to work

[Mendel's Balls]

That link doesn't seem to work

Should work now. Fixed it.

[Spaniard]

That it did, thanks