Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted in April that I was so frustrated about failing to produce this year that I was ready to quit. I read the book, watched the videos, etc. I cycled the balls the same as my salmon hypo boa. She ovulated but I never saw either of my large females ovulate. My largest girl was 3000 grams. Every time I tried to let her run through my hands so I could feel the follicles, she would tense up and I couldn't feel anything. I was sure I had blown it and would have to wait another year. I even sold off my sub-adult females. Then a few weeks ago I started to notice different behavior, more heat seeking, laying coiled up with the lower half of their body on its side. They stopped feeding in February. Well, today I got a great surprise. Exactly what I needed to motivate me to keep working with balls. 8 fertile eggs. If you look close you can see she is wrapped around one egg. I moved them to a box in my rack that I am using as an incubator. I also weighed them, unbelievable. One is 99 grams but all the others are between 107 and 111 grams. 850 grams worth of eggs. I also weighed mom, down to 1750 grams. Not too bad for what I think is a big clutch and her being off feed since February.

Good job! Should have kept them subadult girls though.
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CB

"Maybe the venom has gone to my head"

Good for you!

Gives me hope. I've seen a few stories like this this year~
and I'm afraid to mention it for fear of a JINX~ but I am hoping to be on the same route.

I put my almost 3000 gram girl in with my het pied male~ and saw NO action. So I left him in there, for about a month. Feb/March Never saw any sign of breeding.

Finally put him back in his own tub. disappointed, but I didn't really cool much this year~ so I guess it's to be expected.

BUT~ she has only fed twice since last October (despite my offering as many tempting goodies as I can think of) and the last feed was 4-7-04 (the other feed was 2-2). I've caught her lying inverted twice in May. She shed on 6-9, and I have seen her lying on her side a lot. She also LOOKS larger to me (But that may be wishfull thinking)

Every week I drop feed in with her~ and I'm always rather pleased when she refuses~

I sure hope she's not just being obstinate!
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

I second that. My big mamma has yet to be a mamma(normalxnormal), she just shed the other day so the count down starts all over again. She was eating real good like 2 large rats a week for awhile and then stopped around march. She was over 5lbs when I weighed her at the end of may.

So I am keeping my fingers crossed too!!!
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Misty Sprouse Ball Pythons

Congrats!!!
People don't realize what a LONG process it is to successfully
breed these animals. Not rocket science...but it takes work/time.
I'm glad you got the lift you needed. I know I'm always happy
to see those pearly whites...

Regards,
ChrisS - SanJose

Looking good John! Here is a picture of one of my big girls, she gave a me 9 very large eggs last week. Took her a while too! I have a couple more big girls that have done that second shed thing, so I'm still hoping. 12 babies out of the egg so far this year! I hope to find a few pastels from those 9 eggs in 50 days or so! Every one here is doing fine! Eating and growing!

It can get frustrating sometimes. I have a 2100 gram het I have been trying to prove out for the last two years. She is a sporadic eater and just won't "take". Hopefully, next year.

Congrats!
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Jay A. Martin