Ovulation / Mating?

[Magpie]

I have a really bad cold at the moment and my brain has turned to smoosh ("what's new" says all the old time members).
I cannot remember the answer to this question.
When a python ovulates, is it all over red rover or should the male have chance for one last dance to ensure fertile eggs?

[SNKMST]

Mating should occur up to and during ovulation.

[SnakeWrangler]

So how do you know when a snake is ovulating?

[SNKMST]

There is isolated swelling which occurs over approx 24h, very easy to miss as the animal well ovulate in turn swell and then deflate within the 24h period.

[SnakeWrangler]

Wow, thats a very short affair indeed!! Thanks.

[SNKMST]

I probably should have said that the swelling subsides within the 24h period but I used deflate for lack of a better word comming to mind heheh.

[Magpie]

So they should actually be mating during ovulation?
The photos I've seen of females ovulating, i've never seen them mating during it.

[waruikazi]

Becareful, sometimes the production of yolk can look like ovulation.

[SNKMST]

It isn't necessary for matings to occur during ovulation, if the female is accepting of matings during this time it just gives you a better chance.

[Magpie]

I'm just trying to recall if a mating immediately post ovulation does any good?
Probably just best to leave them together till I'm sure either way I know, I've just been using the "in and out" method - taking the male out for a few days at a time.

[waruikazi]

What pythons are they Mags?

[Magpie]

Bredli.
As I say, I'm really out of it at the moment, I'm just going to leave them until my head clears, should be early next century I reckon.

[dugadugabowbow]

Once a female ovulates any further matings will be useless.
Ovulation is when the ova are fertilised, after that the eggs start to become shelled.

Female pythons retain sperm during the whole mating season, this is used to fertilise the ova during ovluation.
Mating during ovulation i would think would be uselss as the ova are already being fertilised by the retained sperm.
Provided your female pythons have enough matings she will be able to lay from that, of course all the other factors like viable sperm etc comes into it but thats another story.

[Magpie]

Thanks Steve, that's what I thought. A mating immediately prior to ovulation is the best thing as the sperm is fresh, but once she's ovulated... forgeddaboudit.

[da_donkey]

Jeez you must have one hec of a cold :roll: