Reptile & Amphibian Forums

~~~I posted this in the BP forum also but a lot more long time breeders post here~~~~

When I was in the hospital my snake sitters were given strict orders of what to do with my female ball pythons especially my one gravid female. Well these orders were in no way followed. Due to my health problems I've gotten a really late start in cooling /breeding so forth and so on.

Basically to make a long story short my one gravid female was placed in the "cooling" rack with the other females and a couple boys. I do not know how long she's been in there (guessing a month, maybe less) and is set to lay on 4/5.

Could this cause a problem with her eggs? I have never encountered this and am now concerned I may have ruined the clutch.

So what do you guys think?? Could the clutch be ruined?
-----
Christine
Tails With Scales Reptiles
Looks, brains, and venom . . . . how do I stay single?

How cool is cool? What temp is your cooling rack set to on the warm side and what temp on the cool side? Were there nighttime drops, or were the temps kept constant? Let me know and I can ask a couple of the guys here that handle the breeding as to their thoughts.

Patrick Powers
Manager of Prehistoric Pets

I acutally have the rack in a room. The entire room is cooled. Because it's just me, it makes it easier to cool all the BP's and large pythons at one time. The room is thermastat controlled and the lowest temperature is set at 75o. They're basic range is 75-80o. So during the day they hit the high seventies to eighty and at night they don't dip below 75o. I've used this method for the last five years with great sucess.

I check the female ball last night (she was moved) and she looks great. Very healthy looking and noticed she has started tucking her head. So .......... she'll be laying soon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
-----
Christine
Tails With Scales Reptiles
Looks, brains, and venom . . . . how do I stay single?

No I'm not an experienced breeder of snakes myself, but by the sound of it I wouldn't imagine that you would have anything to be too concerned about because the temperatures do not seem to have dropped low enough to REALLY affect anything, but I suppose you will have to wait until she lays. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but I wish you the best of luck with them!

Patrick Powers
Manager of Prehistoric Pets