Could be an age thing since her age is unknown. Could be if her age is up there in years that she might have been overbred in the past? Could just be an off year for her in general.
1 Like
I didn’t think she was that old, since if I recall correctly she hadn’t been bred before according to the breeder I got her from. I’m not sure at all
I had thought since last year was her first year breeding (or so I thought), that was why she laid such a small clutch and then slugged out her second clutch.
I did breed her earlier than I did last year.
I’ve also heard that a lot of times when people sell their adult female hoggies, it’s usually because there’s something wrong with her. Wonder if this was the case with Mocha 
1 Like
Snakes slug out sometimes. It just happens!!! It’s a huge let down but I’ve been there. And I’m sorry to hear she slugged out on you!
1 Like
Yeah, that’s true. I know I did everything correctly so maybe she just didn’t have it in her this year.
Guess we’ll see what happens if she double clutches — she took a nice fat rat pup for me today so I should be able to get some more meals into her and I may put Mango back in with her just in case.
Big ol food bulge haha
It really happens more than people realize. Once you start hatching a large number of clutches people start to realize it. I never stops sucking I assure you.
1 Like
Yeah, just seems worse because she’s my only breeding female haha 
Somewhat off topic…
Hoping at least my ball pythons females give me something, none of them are locking up now and I haven’t a clue why!
They haven’t ovulated nor do they have any preovy swelling, some I think I can feel follicles in but they aren’t all that big yet 🥲
They won’t lay every year. Or at the same time. Did all your gals go last year?
Not all, I’m pairing 3 that did lay last year and pairing 2 new ones that just got up to size.
One hasn’t locked at all this year and I think she’s for sure taking the year off.
3 I’ve gotten visual locks on before, this time they’re all not locking for some reason.
And the last one I saw the male courting her but now they’re just sitting side by side on the heat, this round was the first pairing for her.
She gained a bunch of weight suddenly so I thought maybe she was developing follicles… but I can’t feel any yet.
She also laid a tiny clutch last year, 3 good eggs and 1 slug — lost barely any weight and went right back on food so I thought she’d probably be good to go this year as well.
Maybe try switching out males. Maybe I’m craZy but sometimes I feel like certain snakes won’t breed with each other. Maybe I’m just impatient but if I’ve tried multiple times a pairing and it’s not happening I switch males the next time. Almost always works for me. I’m sure a bunch of people will tell me I’m wrong but it works for me. When I plan my season I always write down my first and second choice male for each female. I always stay heavier on males than most breeders. It gives me more options and still allows me to push my projects forward. My ratio is 20.28 right now. But sometimes no matter what a female is just taking a year off. Not much you can do about that.
3 Likes
That’s fair.
Two are repeat pairings though, I don’t think the females would suddenly decide they don’t like said male lol
The pairings, more elaborated:
1.0 banana pied x 0.1 het pied
Both virgins, I’ve only seen one confirmed lock with them. Male tries hard to court the female but seems to always be on the wrong end… he’s got a lot to learn.
1.0 super mystic x 0.1 butter
Repeat pairing from last year, saw several locks but now they’ve stopped locking.
??? x 0.1 pastel het VPI axanthic
Female has rejected all 3 males I’ve introduced, so I really think she’s just taking the year off.
I tried two of my virgin males, a spider VPI axanthic and a pastel vanilla het VPI axanthic. Neither really seemed to be trying to court, so I tried my proven male banana yellowbelly that I bred to her last year. He courted her, but no locks. When I open the tub she tries to climb up my arm like she doesn’t want anything to do with who is in her tub
1.0 butter spinner x 0.1 pewter
Also a repeat pairing. I saw courting, so maybe they locked and I didn’t catch it. Otherwise they’re now sitting side by side in the back of the tub. This female was the one who laid a small clutch and went back on food immediately.
1.0 super mystic x 0.1 pastel super mojave
Proven male, virgin female sitting around 1400 grams. I have witnessed a few visual locks.
Giving the male a break before I go ahead and pair them again for this month.
How often are you pairing? And how long are you leaving them in together?
I pair each female once a month, and I leave them in for 2-3 days unless they lock sooner
Ok well that’s my exact Routine!!! So imo that’s perfect lol. Maybe they are just going to go later in the year. Another suggestion anytime your going to have a storm pair them up. The drop in the barometric pressure triggers an increase in breeding response. For your males trying putting another males shed or 
in the females enclosure before you add the male.
3 Likes
Back on topic again… Mocha already swelled back up! She’s back to the weight she was before she laid the slugs, so I’m assuming she’s gravid again or close to being gravid. I’ve had her in with Mango again just in case the extra fertility helps any.
Hoping she lays some good eggs this time, but I won’t get my hopes up. We’ll just have to see.
5 Likes
Keeping my fingers crossed for you! Though I do wonder what caused her to slug out first time around
3 Likes
Another update! Mocha is looking huge again and is starting another what I assume to be a prelay shed. I’ve been feeding her a bunch and had Mango in with her almost the entire time, so 
she lays some good ones for her second clutch.
I notice she got gravid with her second clutch a lot quicker than last year — last year she had laid her second clutch right as her first clutch started hatching (around 55-60 days or so)
5 Likes
Better luck with this one! She’s looking really nice and big right now, so let’s hope you get a nice big clutch to make up for the last one.
2 Likes
Beautiful girl!
If you have heat in the back of the tub, consider putting the lay box in the front. I do this based on the fact that eggs are not typically incubated at the temperature of the typical hotspot, and also because in nature the eggs are laid underground away from the heat of the sun. Added bonus is it is much easier and less disruptive to sneak a peek.
She may have scattered them because she was confused that the right place to lay them was too warm. The slugs could have been from her over-cooking them during ovulation because she liked her hide. I’m sure people will jump in here and say putting the lay box on the hotspot has worked fine for them for years, and I don’t doubt it - so many ways of doing this thing can work. I’m just sharing what works for me and my logic behind it, just in case it helps.
Either way I’m crossing my fingers that she gives you an awesome second clutch!
3 Likes
Thanks for the tip! I moved her laybox to the front of her tub to see how she does that way.
She did lay a single slug yesterday (this seems to be the norm for her though)
1 Like
What ended up happening? I dont know if this is on another forum or not but I am curious to know if she laid any fertile eggs, babies hatched. Etc…
2 Likes