Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Some of my Siamese Rats, this is a group of females no males in the cage, pumping them up nice and fat before first litters.

I've been working with this strain or line of rats whatever you call it for a long time. Even after a generations of breedings, the offspring are nice and strong.

Now if I could only get some eggs from some of my ball pythons this season!

All you guys with the clutch pictures are making me so jealous!

PS a little HELP/advice PLEASE! This female bred with my male albino atleast 6 times from mid Oct 2003 until her latest breeding which was 4 nights ago. In January she blew up like a stuffed sausage, then she deflated.

Recently I had this female (who has been off feed now since Oct-2003) palpated for follicles with the help from T&M Reptiles very nice guy. He told me and showed me 6 to 7 follicles about the size of marbles.

Will anything come of this? I had 2 other females blowup like balloons, then deflate. When I first saw this in this female I was very excited, but that was months ago. She doesn't look like much anymore. But still is off feed.

Hey Damon, I really hope you get eggs this year! I remember when you had all the trouble with your burms. What a loss! My advice is leave them together and let it happen! I was thinking of you about a month ago. I put a het caramel male in with a normal female- they bred one time and she ovulated! lol Sometimes its easy and sometimes it isn't! Good luck!
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Mark Kennedy Reptiles

Hey Mark here is a photo I just took of that same female.

She just went into a shed and to be honest I have not looked at her to much. She seems a bit chunky and fat, but has not eaten a single meal since Oct 2003.

I know this is not the best photo, but do you think she might be gravid? Could this be the pre-lay egg shed?

Maybe I should get my incubator setup and running.

Are they supposed to look like there going to burst during the pre-lay egg shed? She doesnt look that BIG, but still for not eating for so long I think there might be something going on.

See that Damon I wished for eggs for you and Whamo! LOL She could very well be gravid. If she ovulated you will see her laying inverted AFTER the post ovulation shed. We had 2 clutches last year without ever seeing ovulation, in fact the males were still in with them. Looks good from here!
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Mark Kennedy Reptiles

Here she is a few months ago...

Its a tough call but she sure looks good in that pic. You just have to wait and see how she looks after the shed.
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Mark Kennedy Reptiles

I wonder, what are the ages of the females that you are breeding?

I would expect limited success if your females are less than 3 years of age -- even if raised optimally, I expect no more than about half of ball python females to actually produce before 3 years of age (NOTE: in a large sample). Based upon the info that I've been gathering and my limited experience, I expect much greater breeding successes from females that are greater than 3 years of age.

Anyway, I'm in a similar boat as you are this year. I have several females that have bred anywhere from 6 to 10 times this season....yet I expect nothing from them. The primary reason on my end is that my females are less than 3 years of age AND they were significantly underfed during their first year (at 12-15 months of age, they were all 300-450 grams -- raised by my 'friend' while I was in the military). I got them up to 1500 grams or a bit over by the start of the season, but I think they need another year.

Any more experienced breeders disagree with any of this?

I know people use 1500 grams as a starting weight, but advice from a BIG breeder told me it's better to wait until 2000 grams as a starting weight.

What Big Breeder?
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RicK @ BbI

Ball Boutique,Inc.
The home of the singing snakes!

...it just makes sence that a female over 2000 g is going to be better prepared and recover more quickly vs 1500 g. The 1500 g mark is an artificial minimum weight often recommended, that's all it is.

Incidentally, females that appear to swell (or in fact do so) and THEN DEFLATE, actually may have started to develop follicles, but then due to premature LH (luteinizing hormone) release, the follicles regress. The question is why the regression? Not long enough cooling, or not cool enough? No male contact, or not early enough? Not quite enough fat stores for follicular development, or not enough essential fatty acids? What causes premature LH secretion from the pituitary?

We're still in the middle ages when it comes to actually understanding any of this!

Scott J. Michaels DVM