Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay heres the deal. My female I didnt put with any other male. She took a meal today. first one in 2 weeks. She has been wrapped about 3/4 of her body all the way around her water bowl. That seems to be her preferred position for about the last 3 days or so. Although I have seen her a few times in her hot hide. Is this what is referred to as laying cold??? If so, what stage is that?? I've tried to feel for anything and can't really feel anything.. any ideas.. am I being suspicious over nothing?
Like I said she had been in with several other snakes before I picked her up from the shop. It might not be so bad if she was gravid. but would like to know for sure.
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This is courage.. to bear unflinching what heaven sends. -unknown

1.0 Chocolate lab (Harley)
1.0 Basset Hound (Capone)
0.1 German Shepard (Misha)
0.1 leopard gecko (Nacho)
1.0 Normal ball python (Arwen)
1.0 pastel ball python (Merlin)
0.1 Spider ball python (Rogue)
1.0 100% het pied (Dojo)
1.0 Normal male (Rebel)

Wrapping around the water bowl doesn't mean diddly! I've seen males do it as well!

Okay, here's the deal; if you truly didn't put the female with a male, she's not gravid. At all, why even consider it?
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www.strictlyballs.ca

Has she shed lately? Thats the big thing to look for, that and is she on her side or back around the water bowl or just on her tummy?
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Coolluigi

1.0 Pastel
1.0 Yellowbelly
0.2 Normal
0.1 Spider
1.2 Het VPI Axanthic (Babies are getting bigger!!)
and soon to be more. *fingers crossed*

I consider it because she was housed with several unsexed ball pythons, (durring the common breeding season) with 4 others. Chances are at least one of them could have been a male. She is roughly about 2265 grams. She's a big girl. And been acting extremely out of her norm. I wouldnt have asked were she kept here with me in her own enclosure for a long time. But I'm asking because the possibility is there.
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This is courage.. to bear unflinching what heaven sends. -unknown

1.0 Chocolate lab (Harley)
1.0 Basset Hound (Capone)
0.1 German Shepard (Misha)
0.1 leopard gecko (Nacho)
1.0 Normal ball python (Arwen)
1.0 pastel ball python (Merlin)
0.1 Spider ball python (Rogue)
1.0 100% het pied (Dojo)
1.0 Normal male (Rebel)

Somehow i failed to put into the original post that she was housed at a reptile shop with Several unsexed BP's. at most times 4 others. If she were from a lone tank there and I havent put males in with her, of course I would not have considered it. Perhaps this was the wrong place to ask.
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This is courage.. to bear unflinching what heaven sends. -unknown

1.0 Chocolate lab (Harley)
1.0 Basset Hound (Capone)
0.1 German Shepard (Misha)
0.1 leopard gecko (Nacho)
1.0 Normal ball python (Arwen)
1.0 pastel ball python (Merlin)
0.1 Spider ball python (Rogue)
1.0 100% het pied (Dojo)
1.0 Normal male (Rebel)

As far as cool seeking behavior goes, I have seen non gravid females do it, and I have several females who, when gravid, never display this behavior. At this stage, if she is gravid, the next thing you want to look for is any sort of over all color change in the snake. Not all females demonstrate this, but several weeks before ovulation, a good deal of females will get a "glow" to them. After that you're going to look for any increase in mass about midbody from the snake. It helps to hold the snake up and let her hang down and relax. If you look at her from the side, it will look like she has sort of a beer belly. After this would come ovulation, followed by a prey lay shed, then egg laying. According to texts, egg laying should come anywhere from 27-30 days after the prey lay shed. My ball pythons don't read the same books I do, and I have females that lay 40-45 days after the prey lay shed. Seeing your female lay inverted is also a good sign, though not a sure fire way to know that she is gravid.

As far as palpating goes, I've never been good at it, so I don't even bother. I've read how to do it and seen it described, but I'll be damned if I can ever feel anything in a female that I know for sure is gravid, let alone one I'm hoping is gravid.

Thank you. She does seem to have very clean bright vivid colors. I guess I will just wait and see. Thanks
Christina
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This is courage.. to bear unflinching what heaven sends. -unknown

1.0 Chocolate lab (Harley)
1.0 Basset Hound (Capone)
0.1 German Shepard (Misha)
0.1 leopard gecko (Nacho)
1.0 Normal ball python (Arwen)
1.0 pastel ball python (Merlin)
0.1 Spider ball python (Rogue)
1.0 100% het pied (Dojo)
1.0 Normal male (Rebel)