Have 4 breeding females for this season, all females started locking december, all females still eating. Two females laid eggs last year. First, Female #1 2600g to 2000g laid 8 eggs in total with 3 slugs and 1 infertile, has recovered, then paired monthly since september, which i have never seen locked (the male has a history of not locking with the female i paired him last year), paired with a different male the beginning of march, locked immediately, shes around 2100-2200g now. Question is, did she still build follicles from that pairing in september to february, then had the male locked during march fertilize her follicles? Second, Female #2 1800g to 1600g laid an all slug clutch of 7 eggs, recovered then, paired monthly since september, may have locked during december, wasnt able to see, the only time i witnessed a lock was january and march, she is 1700-1800g now. Question is does having an all slug clutch, gives her a better chance of being prepared to producing eggs, as the fat reserves wasnt that much used for laying a healthy clutch? 3rd, both Female #3 and #4 was supposed to lay last year, but reabsorbed, so I was waiting until november, then decided to pair at december, both has been consistenly locking monthly with their males until march. Question is almost the same from the last, does reabsorbing their last clutch give a better chance of them to prepare in laying eggs, even though they had their 1st pairing late, did they even have the chance to jumpstart their follicle building in comparison to the other snakes that started september?
How old are your females? Are they proven breeders or is this the first year they may actually produce good clutches? Unfortunately in regards to developing follicles or not, really the only way to know is to palpate and keep track of follicle size as far as I’m aware. As for being “better prepared” to lay clutches, it’s certainly a good thing for their body condition but it doesn’t mean anything in terms of whether they’ll produce fertile eggs or not.
Sorry, I don’t have much advice. I’ve only ever had one female reabsorb and I’ve never had one slug out.
Also, there is no such thing as pairing “late.” Individual females have individual cycles. I have one female who ovulates every December, one who ovulates every March/April and one who ovulates every September/October. There is no standard for breeding season, really. Whether the pairing was “late” or not is down to that individual female’s cycle.
Was the female with all slugs was bred to the same male as the ones who laid eggs?
Is she a scaleless or Desert morph?
Has she laid fertile eggs before?
Did 3 and 4 actually ovulate? Sometimes they will lock with a male and not ovulate.
I would pop again just to make sure it’s indeed a male
Female #2, the one with all slugs, was dual sired last season. This season, I paired her with one of the males I paired her last season. No scaleless or desert morph with all of them. Last year was my first season with her, so I think not, her DOH was 2022, I bought her at 2024.
For Female #3, I bought her gravid, previous owner said she already ovulated, but I suspect she was just building rather than ovulating. While for female #4, I never observed her ovulate last season, considering I paired her late within the last season, January was her first pairing.
Thanks, I confirmed back then to pop, can confirm he’s a male, unfortunately, I already sold him, as he was very uncooperative.
All females are 2 years and above. Female #1 and #3 are the only proven breeders. Female #4, has never produced any eggs, and last season was the first ever attempt of breeding her. Female #2 only clutch was the all slug one. Thanks for explaining, as i am still grasping on how to observe female behavior.
You bred a 2 year old last year? Or do you mean to say they were 2 last season?
What are the ages for 3&4 specifically?
#3 may not have even ovulated if she was 2. Some won’t go until closer to 4 sometimes.
#4 I would not be surprised if a 2yo was the one who slugged out. Especially if she was being powerfed to reach the 1200g+.
Obesity can lead to lower fertility rates.
Oh my bad, I didn’t clarify, #1, #2, #3 are all 2022 hatches. #4 I forgot the DOH, I’m temporarily in possession of her with 2 other snakes from my friend, I’ll try to ask once I can contact him again. But she’s 2000g now, not at all powerfed, especially when I got ahold of her, I do monthly for my adults.
For #3, DOH is june 2022, the breeder said she already had a successful clutch at 2024, I bought her march 2025, he said she already ovulated (i suspect that was just building or maybe not at all). I never observed any ovulation from her the whole time I was waiting until november 2025, so I paired her.
The one who slugged out, was also a june 2022 hatch, I don’t think she was powerfed growing up, but when I acquired her at november 2024, shes around 1600g that time, though I did weekly feedings during 2024 to early 2025 for all my snakes, switched to monthly feedings since mid 2025. The only thing I can think why she had an all slug clutch was because it got too hot early in where I live.