Posted by:
rainbowsrus
at Sat Apr 5 03:58:27 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by rainbowsrus ]
Figure it's that time of year and many people are asking the age old question, is my female gravid or not. The only true 100% positive sign is...
Of course that's also the last possible sign you will see so let's back it up a little bit.....
BRB's are a bit secretive in the breeding process so you may miss some or even all of the actual breeding activities.
One of the first signs I typically see but not always and not with every breeding group is the male hemipenal shedding. Can be left anywhere but most identifiable when left in the water bowl.
That usually happens first before the female(s) are receptive. Age old story, the male is ready to go and the female is calling all the shots.
Once the female gives the green light and puts off some of those attractive pheromones, the male will get alongside the female and rake her with one of his spurs. Sorry no pic but WOW, the spur will rotate about 180 degrees. I believe the spurring has two purposes. First I think it's a form of foreplay, the male getting the female excited and even more receptive. Second I believe it helps them align their respective parts for actual copulation.
Next the male will wrap his tail around the female aligning their vents together.
If you're really lucky you may even see penetration...
Like I said before even if you did not see any of these events, they still could have happened and your female may still be gravid.
My gravid females will mostly stop eating. Some will take some smaller number of smaller meals. So still eating does not necessarily mean not gravid. I do see the gravid females appear to put on weight, or at least girth, towards the middle like...
Note the scale separation, Tink is looking very large, smaller females with smaller litters will not be so obvious.
One last clear sign is the laying in odd positions. I checked in on them all tonight and saw Clover laying full on her back. The most seriously belly up gravid female position I've ever seen, even her head was upside down. When I opened the door she started to lift her head, then shortly thereafter righted herself. Is a very odd sight to see your snake laying belly up and be happy about it. The first few times I saw that my heart sunk thinking I had lost her. Now when I see one like that I have a big grin!!!!
BTW, she's opaque with her Post Ovulation Shed, so still a few months to go.
Hope this helps soothe some stressed out herpers!!
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Thanks,
Dave Colling
www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com
0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)
LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders 
lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats  
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 Signs..... - rainbowsrus, Sat Apr 5 03:58:27 2008
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