Experienced BHP breeders

[Col J]

I have a gravid girl which shed 37 days ago & doesn't seem to want to get down to the business of laying. She still follows her daily routine of moving from the hide box to basking sites etc, with the only exception of prowling a little more than usual. I assume this to be looking for alternate laying sites.

Anyway, my questions are:
Has anyone had a bhp go this long between pre-lay & oviposition?
Should I assume she has another slough to go yet before laying?

Thanks in advance,

Col J.

 

[Simple]

I would say she is not gravid.. Try feeding her, if she eats she is not gravid.

 

[wokka]

Yes I have had them go 37 days after prelay. You should be able to see or feel the eggs. They will be qued up at the rear of the snake.

 

[Pythons_Reptiles]

My WA took 42 days after pre lay this season, But yes you should be able to see the bulges.

 

[Col J]

Thanks guys.

She layed at day 40. Five fertile eggs & two infertile. She had me worried she was gonna go eggbound, 'cos I've never heard of them going 40 days.

There was no doubt she was gravid & I knew she had 5 good eggs & 2 skinny ones. (I have access to radiography/ultrasound which helps) I could also feel & count 7 eggs in the last week.

Thanks guys,

Col J.

 

[Col J]

Geez, 42 days would have you pacing like a new dad. Was she a first timer?

 

[Den from Den Pythons]

40+ days seems very long, there seem to be alot of animals that refuse to follow the 'rules' of expected lay dates...

The longest I have had a BHP go after a pre-lay is 34days. I find the amount of basking heat given in-between the time of ovulation and deposition can play a big role in the length of lay dates... When given access to 36deg basking temp my days run @ 21days between ovulation and pre-lay then 29days from pre-lay to deposition.

Congrats on the clutch and all the best with incubation mate.
Den

 

[Col J]

Thanks Den.

I have been mucking about with reptiles on & off for 30 years & I know that the rules are like the "Pirates Code". . . . . . "More like guide-lines really!"

I have noticed that the temps can affect length of time from ovulation to deposition. Last year we had an old Maccy girl hold off laying & eventually get eggbound due to moving from warm temps to a cooler location after she had ovulated. Experience is a hard taskmaster!

I have just gone round & bumped up the temps on my gravid girls, just to be sure.

Thanks again,

Col J.

 

[Den from Den Pythons]

For sure Col, I had a female BHP that ovulated during a shed cycle... I've had Womas have double pre-lays, and a mate has had a Green do the same. Let's blame global warming... lol

Chat soon mate

 

[solar 17]

Gravid / Eating !!!!!

As stated in this thread if they eat they are not gravid ....just isn't correct ...three of my female bhp's eat while they are gravid and l know this because they have since layed, my uluru females eat as well, all of my females are on 24 / 7 heat until the 22nd december and are offered moderate sized meals every seven days ....and if they eat they eat and if they do't they don't......no dramas....choice is a wonderfull thing...cheers solar 17 [Baden]

 

[Col J]

Yeah, Baden, I sort of let that one slide as I wanted to stay on topic & I knew she was gravid anyway. I have discussed this with you before & I also have some fems which will hammer food when gravid.

How are your BHP girls going anyway, apart from the NT which had a clutch the other day?

Col J

 

[zulu]

re Experienced

Had a bhp some years back go 34 days after prelay another recent went 28 days but it was heated differently from the first one in that it had a hotter basking area,the first one onley had floor heat.