Other than the hatch rate seeming to be better under artifical incubating I think the time the female is coiled and protecting the clutch is time she won't feed . That time (55-57 ish days) is in my mind 55 days she is still off feed and that time could make or break her shot at getting enough weight back to produce the next coming season. Granted some don't feed right away after you take the eggs away but a percentage of them will feed within a few days/week if the cage is cleaned , the snake is washed up good to remove the smell of the eggs off her body , etc. Alot of them do want to eat as they are hungry after the clutch has been laid and removed as it's been awhile off feed anyway during the last stages of breeding/gravidness (think that's a word lol) . It's just getting them to break that instinct of wanting to stay with the clutch for that duration and not eat for that entire time that your trying to overcome to get them back on feed I think. I think once it registers in their brain the clutch is no longer with them that breaking that instinct becomes possible and feeding resumes hopefully soon afterwards.

Anthony McCain

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