Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a female that had a post ovulation shed and she is currently at 41 days past shed. How many days is too many? Last year I had a female go 35 days past shed with no ill effects. I have heard of another breeder say something about inducing for an egg bound female. What should I do? I have a vet but he is not familiar with egg bound reptiles. Should I induce to save the female or should I continue to wait. Any HELP would be greatful with this matter.

Dustin

Dustin,

Purchase some spagnum moss from your local Home Depo or Lowes. Soak it in water then ring it out real well, and place it in the snake's cage over the hot spot. The hope is that the snake is looking for a damp place to lay her eggs and the damp spagnum moss will give her that. When I bred colubrids using damp spagnum moss in the snake's nest box was the industry standard.

When I switched over to ball pythons about 12 years ago I was surprised to find out that ball python breeders didn't use this method.

Best of luck
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Brian Gundy

www.for-goodness-snakes.com

I don't think humidity is a issue with this matter. I just checked the humidistat in that enclosure and the humidity is running around 77% at 80 degree F. ambient temp with a hot spot at 92 degrees F.

Dustin

Dustin,

I agree I don't think that ambient humidity is the issue. I found while breeding colubrids that a moist nesting site can entice the snake into dropping her clutch exactly where you want her to, the enticement is the moist nesting area. In the wild ball pythons will search out and find areas that are close to the environment that matches the humidity found in the subtrate that we incubate our eggs in, not the ambient humidity found in our breeding facilities.

Best of luck

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Brian Gundy

www.for-goodness-snakes.com

I have no experience with balls, but I do with corns. It may be just what she wants to do. By post-ovulation shed, do you mean a pre-lay shed, or is this a case of "she's ovulated, now she can be bred" shed?

If it's the 'ready to breed' type of shed, I've had some female corns lay as little as 30 days later... and one who waits 60 to 70 days before dropping her eggs. Your girl *might* be a lazy one like mine.

Inducing reptiles is very difficult. They don't respond to oxytocin like mammals do and it very often does *nothing*. Stress is also more likely to prevent them from laying.

What I meant was that she has ovulated already and the shed was a pre-lay shed. With what I have gathered from experience and talking to some local breeders, a ball python normally lays their eggs about day 30 after this shed.

Dustin

Don't worry, I just had a female lay eggs over 6o days after her post ovulation shed with no ill effects.Yes I did witness the ovulation and the exact day she shed. I do not use any heat in the racks, just ambient heat in the room, temp 78-84 degrees. I am a veterinarian who does work on reptiles and have only ever had to remove 1 egg from a Ball Python who had laid 7 eggs and then was disturbed and didn't lay the lkast one after a week. You'll be fine, don't sweat it.

In your honest opinion, will the eggs still be good and hatch later or will the eggs that come out be slugs? I am really looking forward to having a clutch of good eggs from this pairing. Of course having a healthy animal that survives this ordeal is my number 1 priority.

Dustin

I had one go 58 days last year and 65 days...I use heat on my tubs...I have one now on day 45.
She will let them out when she can no longer supply oxygen to the eggs...
Try not to mess with her to much...if she doesnt feel safe she is not gonna drop them the way she should.
Travis
Lair of Dragons
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LAIR OF DRAGONS

Not to worry...i just got my 1st cl. of the yr. 3 wks ago...female shed on 1/11...laid on 2/24..(44 days post shed )...female's fine / eggs look great...note ..i did pick her up to look at her on day 43, very lightly felt her stomach...set her back in her tub, next day she laid...??...who knows, they go when they want..!

leave her alone and it will happen....

....there's no set time limit....

one year I had most on day 30....maybe temps were all good...next year they were from maybe 28 to 48 days....it's all nature,humidity,heat,and if we actually remember the correct date and actually remember to write it down...

....let her rest?....

...
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........JY

I don't actually peek by opening up a rack. I have built custom enclosures with sliding glass doors. I just look through the glass to check so I don't disturb her.

Dustin

just a figure of speech more than not...but yea...most people bug the heck out of girls too much...

good luck....

,
,
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........JY

Dustin,

I have a female about 10 days late too. She is late every season. My own theory is that she always lays about 10 huge 110 gram eggs and she has never slugged. I just believe when a female has a lot of huge eggs she takes longer usually. I know when I get 4 to 6 eggs and they are around 80 grams or less they will lay on time like clock work. Also I mist warm water around the front of my tubs every other night with gravid females preparing to lay. I find this helps the Female with any worries of a good place to lay her eggs.

Good Luck and congrats,
Bill Rubin
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0.1 Spider Lavender Albino TSK/VPI
0.1 Lavender Albino (TSK/VPI)
0.1 Lavender Albino (TSK/RDR)
1.0 PinStripe Het Lavender Albino (RDR)
1.0 Spider Het Lavender Albino (TSK)
0.3 Het Lavender Albino (TSK/VPI)
0.1 Super Pastel Het Clown (TSK)
0.2 Pastel Enchi
1.1 Kids (12) and (18)
0.1 Spouse (24 Years Married)
1.0 Chocolate Lab
0.1 Mexican Fire Leg Tarantula (Tarantula Inc.)

.....

My Female laid 7 huge eggs with one weighing over 150 grams. She laid exactly 12 days late. Pictures if requested.....

Bill
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0.1 Spider Lavender Albino TSK/VPI
0.1 Lavender Albino (TSK/VPI)
0.1 Lavender Albino (TSK/RDR)
1.0 PinStripe Het Lavender Albino (RDR)
1.0 Spider Het Lavender Albino (TSK)
0.3 Het Lavender Albino (TSK/VPI)
0.1 Super Pastel Het Clown (TSK)
0.2 Pastel Enchi
1.1 Kids (12) and (18)
0.1 Spouse (24 Years Married)
1.0 Chocolate Lab
0.1 Mexican Fire Leg Tarantula (Tarantula Inc.)

I am guessing that I must not have had a ovulation prior to the last shed because my female just shed again. I will just start the 30 day clock again. I hope this is the pre-lay shed now. I will document that this female has done this and continue to keep a close eye on her. According to my records she has shed on 1-31-13 and now on 3-26-13.

Dustin

Dustin,

That sucks....Keep us posted.

Regards,
Bill
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0.1 Spider Lavender Albino TSK/VPI
0.1 Lavender Albino (TSK/VPI)
0.1 Lavender Albino (TSK/RDR)
1.0 PinStripe Het Lavender Albino (RDR)
1.0 Spider Het Lavender Albino (TSK)
0.3 Het Lavender Albino (TSK/VPI)
0.1 Super Pastel Het Clown (TSK)
0.2 Pastel Enchi
1.1 Kids (12) and (18)
0.1 Spouse (24 Years Married)
1.0 Chocolate Lab
0.1 Mexican Fire Leg Tarantula (Tarantula Inc.)

Bill,
I will keep you updated. I have heard of a local breeder having a female shed 2 or 3 times after a ovulation. I hope that is what happens here. I have a nice 4 gene pairing going on with this female.

Dustin