She's driving me nuts - did I miss anything?

[dr del]

Hi,

Salome is slowly driving me insane.

Her appetite is all out of whack - she now ignores her rats (and even mice when I've tried them) but will eat the occasional day old chick. Just not consistently and never more than one at a sitting.

All my girls seem to have developed a fondness for chicks in fact but the others are still eating rodents - though nowhere near as well as before winter it has to be said.

I have been trying to catch her ovulation but am now wondering if I've missed it or it has yet to come - I am still using a night time drop as I didn't start giveing them one till the beginning of january and am only now bringing everything back to normal.

This is the timeline and pics I have so far if it helps anyone tell me where I am in her cycle or if she just isn't going to go this year. ( I will ignore non-eaten food items for simplicity)

My male is called herman.

15/1/08 1 chick
19/1/08 sal x herman
20/1/08 sal x herman

On 25/1/08


26/1/08 sal shed
11/2/08 1chick
17/2/08 sal x herman
18/2/08 sal x herman

On 26/02/08


On 6/3/08


On 14/3/08


22/3/08 sal shed
23/3/08 1 chick
25/3/08 sal x herman

On 1/4/08


5/4/08 1 chick

On 5/4/08


And now on 7/4/08


As you can see she's a bit of a homewrecker.

She has always been a bit of a porker which doesn't help a noob like me spot any changes.

I will try herman back in with her tomorrow night - we're having a low pressure front so he is having a one night stand with the girl he doesn't seem that fond of. (it's working too )

So what do you folks think?


dr del

[Blue Apple Herps]

I am no expert, but from March 6th looks like it could be ovulation and April 1st she has a nice "glow" to her, thought that may be the camera? I wonder if the shed near the end of March was her pre-lay shed shed?

[ShawnT]

Have you tried palpating her?

[Big Gunns]

Have you tried palpating her?

Eggs are hard to feel for the novice. Follicles are much easier. Hold her up and let her bottom half hang down and take a pic from the bottom and post it. You should see a very noticeable bulge from the eggs if she is gravid.

[dr del]

Hi,

I can never feel anything so must be palpating wrong - I'm kind of worried I'm going to hurt them.

Well I can now add dangling from my arm to the list of things she absolutely hates doing.

The pictures are quite frankly rubbish but just in case here they are;

,,,,


dr del

[Subzero]

Im going through the same thing with my female (first time breeding) She been doing the bowl wrap and the laying side ways thing. witnessed plenty of copulations, but not seeing an ovulation and shes still eating every week, driving me insane, I dunno if I should just stop pairing up or what.

[frankykeno]

I'm thinking the March 22nd shed was her pre-lay should you should get eggs about 30 days or so later, Del. My two girls that have laid so far this year when 28 days post shed and exactly 1 month post shed. Hope that helps (sorry my experience is so limited really).

[Inferno]

from them pictures i can see a slight bulge....i wouldn't say it was eggs though maybe an egg....

also i wouldn't feed chicks there is no nutrition there and its too easy for them to get stuck on them...i would rather mine do without than eat chicks

how exactly are you palpating?? don't be worried about hurting her as long as you are firm but gentle she will be fine.

Its a shame you dont live closer as i could have come around and had a look at her for you.

[dr del]

Hi,

She is locked back up with the male so does that mean she isn't gravid yet at all?

I could see a small bulge myself but, honestly, I just assumed it was the remains of lunch working its way out.

I tried hanging her over the edge of the tub on the way back in and trying to feel her belly - but all I managed was to make her gut gurgle and I think I felt some poop.

I don't mind them eating chicks now and again I'd just prefer it if she was eating the rodents as well really.

I'll keep an eye out around the 30 day mark and have started setting the incubator up just in case.

I think cleo has started to glow though so have a whole new girl to panic about.


dr del

[West Coast Jungle]

If she is still locking with the male she more than likely hasn't ovulated. I would keep cycling her with the male until refusal and count down 30 days after the next shed/s incase she is ready to go.