Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sorry for the long message in advance!

I have a few questions that maybe someone could help me with. I'm a bit worried about one of my females. I thought that she was supposed to lay her eggs in the beginning of July, but instead she went into yet another shed cycle. Is it common for balls to become eggbound? Also, would they eat after a pre-ovulation shed? and would they go into another shed cycle if they were eggbound? If not, maybe I have nothing to worry about and she'll just lay late in the year. So here is the schedule of events:

Nov 14th - Mar 10th: observed breeding multiple times
Mar26th: Beginning shed cycle - mid-body swelling observed
Apr 7 : Shed (1944g)
Fed during period from Apr 7th shed date to next shed date
20 May - 27th May: Shed cycle (2018g) Still looked large.

I thought that this was then the pre-lay shed, and she did stop eating after this. Around the time I thought she's be due, she began pushing the bedding material out of the way and making a nest, but then began another shed cycle July 3rd, with a shed July 11th. She is now extremely large and lying upside-down in the egg laying box. If I can, I'll try to get and post a pic. Is it possible that the first shed was just a regular shed and she's right on schedule?

Any advice anyone could give me would be great! Is anyone else even expecting eggs anymore? It's pretty late in the season...

I had a girl in pre-lay shed the last week of June. She's just recently started nesting behavior and laying inverted as well. She has also moved from the cool side of the cage to the warm side in the last week. As I understand, it is quite uncommon for BP's to become egg-bound. They are built to pass proportionally huge eggs and usually do so without issue. Your female is good sized so you shouldn't have anything to worry about. I know...The waiting drives you crazy doesn't it! Good luck.
Paul

I probably worry too much!

I'd say the April 7 shed was nothing to be concerned about. The May 27 shed was her "preovulation" shed , and the July 11 shed was the important one the "prelay" shed. I would expect eggs from her anytime from August 4 thru August 18, as they can go before the "30 day rule" as well as after the 30 day rule, usually it is very close to the 30 day rule, but animals are not machines so they do vary from time to time. Anthony McCain-McCain's Reptiles.