Reptile & Amphibian Forums

That is my question.....

My lodingi is Gravid and huge. I'm wondering what others have experienced with regards to feeding the animal at this stage of the reproductive process. She consumed a small rat over a week ago and I'm wondering if I should give her a small snack to sustain her. She's close to pre-oviposition ecdysis, not there yet though.

Thanks

If it were my animal I would hold off. If she had enough weight on her going into the breeding season, there would be no harm in witholding food for a couple of weeks. A small rat is a pretty large meal for a heavily gravid animal. Hope your clutch is huge and healthy! Take care!

Jeremy

Shade Tree Exotics Website

I would feed her as long as she will eat. Egg laying is so taxing on a female they need everything they can get. Also every year we have 1 or 2 females that were feeding fine up till the day of the laying and then refuse to eat for a few months after laying( in one case the female died after not eating for 4 months). If that happens you will be glad she ate as much as she could. I would suggest though that you drop down to rat pups and give her several of them as versus a fully haired small rat, it will be much easier to digest for her.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

Cherryville Farms - Reptiles

Hello, Mike!

I normally stop feeding gravid females once they begin pre-oviposition ecdysis, as there is some evidence heavy meals can contribute to egg binding, though such is highly anecdotal, but I would rather err on the side of caution and the time between pre-oviposition ecdysis and oviposition without a meal will certainly not harm a healthy gravid female. Just make certain she has ample opportunity for hydration..

Good luck,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

Thanks Everyone!!

Mike,

It appears as though we left you with a bit of a dilemma. John’s advice is solid, especially if you are working with a lean specimen or harbor any weight concerns, regarding the gravid female. Also, the feeding of prey without fully developed hair and skeletal system would help to offset any impaction risks.
One aspect I thoroughly enjoy about herpetoculture is there really is no single correct way to do things…

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947