This was going to be the year, at least from my side, that I figured out what is going on with Desert females. With that large number of females, I would have a chance to try a few different temp set ups. Now, this thinking behind using cooler temp wasn't just made up. It comes from understand python reproduction. Too high of temps can cause ovulation too early and lead to slugs. Cooler temps, less chance of slugs. I've seen it work in my own collection. It makes sense to me that Desert girls could need slightly lower temps to not produce slugs. It made enough sense to me that I held back tons of Desert girls LAST YEAR.
When I got the group from Stan, one small Desert girl was gravid. She was less than 1200 grams. Because Stan kept his snakes in racks without heat, when I got them, I set them up the same way. Room temp, and no extra heat. That female was unable to pass the eggs (she was way too small, the smallest gravid ball I've every seen) and I had to aspirate the eggs to get them out of her. When she passed them, it was clear they were eggs not slugs. That event is another reason I think the cooler temp should help.
I've also had a friend who shared that his friend produced good eggs from a Desert females two years in a row. That guys kept his snakes at room temp. No extra heat. Another reason why I think cooler temp should help.
So the cooler temp thing isn't made up bullcrap. It comes from events that follow along with what I have learned about python reprooduction in a past few years.
Do I think Desert females have a trick to getting them to go? Yep. Is it cooler temps? I was going to find out this year, but I thought that would be the trick.

[ Hide Replies ]

• Desert Females - Chad_ProExotics, Fri Jan 6 16:57:26 2012
• RE: Desert Females - anthill, Fri Jan 6 17:10:21 2012
• RE: Desert Females - Chad_ProExotics, Fri Jan 6 17:31:34 2012
• RE: Desert Females - jhaven, Sat Jan 7 16:26:17 2012
• For the Record... - EvilMorphgod, Sat Jan 7 19:59:52 2012
• One more thing... - EvilMorphgod, Sat Jan 7 20:05:10 2012