Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My female BRB just shed friday and since then has just been lying on the warm end of the tank right above the UTH. She moves a bit every once in a while since I see her in different positions in the same spot. Right now she is lying on her side on the UTH with some noticeable bumps showing.

My question is whether there is a general amount of time before dropping the clutch when they start lying on the UTH instead of staying in the hide.

This is about 24-30 hours she has stayed there in the open choosing the heat over the privacy. I am mostly concerned since I have a new rack for all the snakes currently in my hatchling rack but I have not transferred them yet since I am still calibrating temps and setting everything up in the tubs.

Any info from you experienced BRB breeders would be great. Thanks in advance.

Sean.
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1.1 BRB
0.1 Pacific Gophersnake(unproven Hypo)
1.0 Amel Pacific Gophersnake
0.1 Striped Anery Pacific Gophersnake
1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
0.1 Silver TPRS
1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
0.1 Reeve's Turtle
0.2 Amstaff's
1.0 Pudytat

Hey Sean,

Have you read my article? In it, I address this. I have noticed that my gravid females usually begin lying on their sides within a month or so of dropping the clutch.

However, when was the post-ov shed? This is a stronger indicator of the parturition date.

I've also noticed that my females tend to favor the cool end of the cage prior to ovulation. After ovulation, they pick a spot on the warm side of the cage and sit there for months.

Best of luck with her!
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Sorry, was Friday the post-ov shed? If so, you have roughly 110 days or so to get rerady for babies. No immediate need to worry.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Which article Mike? I might have but I can't remember for sure. Lifes so busy at the moment that I can barely remember one day to the next(first year teaching HS).

I'm not sure about the exact POS because I didn't catch a shed I was sure about but I believe that she took back in December when I witnessed copulation. There was one time later that the male acted like he was interested but I never actually confirmed copulation then.

I'm also pretty sure she isn't ovulating since she has been to a lesser or greater degree lumpy for the last 2-3 weeks. How long does ovulation last by the way? Seems to me I remeber reading a few hours somewhere but I may be completely misremembering or remembering a different species.

Thanks for the reply and info Mike.

Sean.
-----
1.1 BRB
0.1 Pacific Gophersnake(unproven Hypo)
1.0 Amel Pacific Gophersnake
0.1 Striped Anery Pacific Gophersnake
1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
0.1 Silver TPRS
1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
0.1 Reeve's Turtle
0.2 Amstaff's
1.0 Pudytat

I sent you an e-mail about the article. For some reason "they" don't like me mentioning it here on the forum (even thought it pertains to captive husbandry and isn't in any way promoting business).

If your female took in early December, then that just might put us within the 1-month period. In that case, this behavior is expected and I say, clear out that baby rack!

Ovulation is one large swelling followed by a reduction in swelling that lasts 1 - 2 days. After this, they do stay a little lumpy.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Thanks again Mike. Sorry I didn't check it or get back to you. I've been too busy with first year teaching and ed classes this year.

I'm almost ready to clear the rack(hopefully this weekend). Of course if push comes to shove I'll spend an all nighter with trips to the all night stores to get the room made lol.

Sean.
-----
1.1 BRB
0.1 Pacific Gophersnake(unproven Hypo)
1.0 Amel Pacific Gophersnake
0.1 Striped Anery Pacific Gophersnake
1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
0.1 Silver TPRS
1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
0.1 Reeve's Turtle
0.2 Amstaff's
1.0 Pudytat

Sean,
...How is the first year teaching going? My wife has been teaching HS for 25 years. It seems that many of the best and brightest get frustrated with the stresses of teaching the first semester and quit. I see the same thing in my profession which is nursing. New nurses have a hard time and often quit. Some of them even quit after just a few weeks in the hospital. I tell the new ones that are thinking about quitting that they do not know enough about the job to quit and if after they have been at it a year it is still too strsssful THEN they should quit. Some of them work through the tough first year and become good strong nurses and even like the job. Sometimes my coworkers and I talk about all the nurses who started working with us and quit before they really knew what the job could be. The number of them is amazingly large. All jobs have their challenges and frustrations but with teaching you will at least occasionally feel like you are doing something to make the world a better place.
Jeff

>>Thanks again Mike. Sorry I didn't check it or get back to you. I've been too busy with first year teaching and ed classes this year.
>>
>>I'm almost ready to clear the rack(hopefully this weekend). Of course if push comes to shove I'll spend an all nighter with trips to the all night stores to get the room made lol.
>>
>>Sean.
>>-----
>>1.1 BRB
>>0.1 Pacific Gophersnake(unproven Hypo)
>>1.0 Amel Pacific Gophersnake
>>0.1 Striped Anery Pacific Gophersnake
>>1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
>>0.1 Silver TPRS
>>1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
>>0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
>>0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
>>1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
>>0.1 Reeve's Turtle
>>0.2 Amstaff's
>>1.0 Pudytat

Thanks for asking Jeff,
It's going well. I'm completely exhausted, sleep deprived, frustrated, and jaded but it's going well. I am fortunate enough to have a very supportive department at my school, a great cohort of friends going through the program together, and enough family in education to know the progression of the first few years in the proffession. Despite all the problems and stresses I have already seen much improvement over this first year as I figure out what works for me in terms of rules, procedures, policies, etc..

I agree that many loose perspective and drop out during the first year or two of teaching. Unfortunately it, and nursing from what you describe, is a profession where the stress/work load decreases exponentially the longer you do it. Makes the later years much much more rewarding but the first few much more tough then average. Also throws those who like to "test the water" for a loop since those first few years are not representative of the final experience.

On a side note, has the ever increasing legistlative interference into the classroom driven your wife batty or has she avoided being hassled by them too much? Just seems like often as not some legal desicision or new hoop to jump through is stealing instructional time away from me and my students.

Sean.
-----
1.1 BRB
0.1 Pacific Gophersnake(unproven Hypo)
1.0 Amel Pacific Gophersnake
0.1 Striped Anery Pacific Gophersnake
1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
0.1 Silver TPRS
1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
0.1 Reeve's Turtle
0.2 Amstaff's
1.0 Pudytat

Sean,
...In public schools here in Savannah there is way too much emphasis on making everyone happy and not enough emphasis on academics. The school board and the administrators seem to want everyone to get a HS diploma even if they learn nothing. Teachers get grief for not passing enough students. The percentage of graduating students who make a "B" average and get the Hope scholarship and then lose it their first semester in college is extremely high. Grade inflation is becoming a serious problem. In answer to your question. The requirments of "no child left behind" and all the testing it has added has seriously interfered with real teaching time. There are also new policies that require lots of fluff displayed on walls and bulletin boards. There is also too much emphasis on "cooperative" learning with de-emphasis on lectures about substantive subject matter. My wife has always liked the students but more and more hates the administrators.
...Nursing become less stressful with experience because after you have killed your first five or six patients it gets easier. JUST KIDDING!!!
Jeff

>>Thanks for asking Jeff,
>> It's going well. I'm completely exhausted, sleep deprived, frustrated, and jaded but it's going well. I am fortunate enough to have a very supportive department at my school, a great cohort of friends going through the program together, and enough family in education to know the progression of the first few years in the proffession. Despite all the problems and stresses I have already seen much improvement over this first year as I figure out what works for me in terms of rules, procedures, policies, etc..
>>
>>I agree that many loose perspective and drop out during the first year or two of teaching. Unfortunately it, and nursing from what you describe, is a profession where the stress/work load decreases exponentially the longer you do it. Makes the later years much much more rewarding but the first few much more tough then average. Also throws those who like to "test the water" for a loop since those first few years are not representative of the final experience.
>>
>>On a side note, has the ever increasing legistlative interference into the classroom driven your wife batty or has she avoided being hassled by them too much? Just seems like often as not some legal desicision or new hoop to jump through is stealing instructional time away from me and my students.
>>
>>Sean.
>>-----
>>1.1 BRB
>>0.1 Pacific Gophersnake(unproven Hypo)
>>1.0 Amel Pacific Gophersnake
>>0.1 Striped Anery Pacific Gophersnake
>>1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
>>0.1 Silver TPRS
>>1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
>>0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
>>0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
>>1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
>>0.1 Reeve's Turtle
>>0.2 Amstaff's
>>1.0 Pudytat

that was great,
and yes at my school the veterans refer to the administrators as teachers who used to be good but went to the dark side.

Sean.
-----
1.1 BRB
0.1 Pacific Gophersnake(unproven Hypo)
1.0 Amel Pacific Gophersnake
0.1 Striped Anery Pacific Gophersnake
1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
0.1 Silver TPRS
1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
0.1 Reeve's Turtle
0.2 Amstaff's
1.0 Pudytat

Sean, I didn't realize you were credentialing. Congratulations and welcome to the madness! What are you going to be teaching? It's a little early but have you had luck finding a position for next year?

You're right, the job does get a little easier as time goes on. Especially if you work your ever-loving ass off in the beginning, stay organized, and LAMINATE THINGS!

Again, best of luck. Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I haven't checked this site in a week due to my busy teaching schedule
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Yeah I'm doing pipeline so I'm on a district intern cred while working on the preliminary. I'll be done after next year(with the preliminary that is). I teach Math, this year I'm only teaching Algebra 1 but depending on how things fall I may be teaching precalc next year. In some ways I'd prefer to only teach algebra 1 next year also because it would reduce my prep time requirements lol. Especially since I may be doing the last year of my preliminary at the same time as my 1 year masters of Ed and working

I'm pretty sure I'll be hired back next year but with the current environment there is always the possibility of needing to find a newschool. Hopefully by the end of the school year we will all know if we are being retained.

Sean.
-----
1.1 BRB
0.1 Pacific Gophersnake(unproven Hypo)
1.0 Amel Pacific Gophersnake
0.1 Striped Anery Pacific Gophersnake
1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
0.1 Silver TPRS
1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
0.1 Reeve's Turtle
0.2 Amstaff's
1.0 Pudytat