Howdy everyone! So running it down to the wire here, because if I’m correct that it was infact her prelay shed, Kimball here is due to lay any time after June 13th! I just took these pics tonight (bad lighting because my room lighting sucks at night), and I’m pretty certain she’s gravid but at this point don’t want to mess with her too much and before now have tried to palpate but seem to have no idea what I’m feeling for…
For a little more context, she’s been giving big indicators in general of being gravid - Had multiple confirmed locks with the male in January and February. Despite being a good feeder, stopped eating in early March, has been hanging out on the warm side since her suspect prelay, etc. Especially with that little indentation at the cloaca, does she seem gravid to you?
I strongly suspect it, but will feel better if someone more experienced confirms my suspicions as last year for her first season I thought she reabsorbed and ended up missing her lay date due to a vacation. Came back to unviable eggs (5 looked to have been fertilized, 1 slug).
The part 2 of my post - if gravid, she’ll be due to lay in the next week. I have a spare thermostat and some heat tape, does anyone have a decent DIY incubator to suggest? And what are our thoughts on perlite vs vermiculite for ball eggs?
TYSM for your time, here’s to Kimball having a healthy clutch and an easy laying of them! 
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The easiest incubator setup that I used was an igloo cooler with the tape wrapped around the inside. I left a couple bottles of water in the bottom to help stabilize the temp a bit in there for when I would open and check eggs.
Eggbox went on a little raised platform in the cooler. Thermostat probe went into the eggbox.
I can see what looks like one egg bump at the top right of the 2nd image. So she’s cooking something. Just not a lot of scale spread there so I dunno if she’s just got some smaller eggs going or not. My girls usually have more stretch going.
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That’s what I was thinking. Do you leave the thermo probe above, or below the eggs?
That was my thought, though I think perhaps she might do another fiver like last year; this is what I’m seeing!
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I just let the probe sit in the middle of the box and try to not let it sit on the incubation media. I’m not too concerned about the probe touching an egg.
I hope she does well~ She’s a pretty gal.
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Thanks! Do you put incubation media in the same box then sit the eggs on the platform? Then water bottles outside the box/in the bottom of the cooler? And does this only work for one clutch at a time, or would it work for two clutches in the same cooler? I ask because I have a second female who may or may not lay this year, though she’s giving me even more mixed messages 
If you have a link to any specific egg platform, feel free to send it my way!
She really is a beautiful girl, I’m still kicking myself over wasting her efforts last year. Won’t make the same mistake this one!
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And please, if I’m wrong feel free to tell me as such or correct me, or if you think she’s maybe just gonna slug out!! I appreciate all opinions here!
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I put the media under the egg crate/light diffuser. I actually had a hatchling last year dig under it and get stuck. Which was why I didn’t use just water in the first place. She could have drowned before I found her.
I incubated 3clutches at the same time in one. I just made sure the probe was in the tallest eggbox or they were all the same level. I kept govee thermo/hydrometer in each box to monitor them as well.
I just used an spare board across the bottles in the bottom as a platform. When I needed a second level I used a raised baking tray of some kind my roomie was tossing out. Anything with good airflow will work fine. Or last resort, just stack your boxes carefully.
Good luck with both!
I hope she doesn’t slug out. The noticeable bulges are a good sign. Slugs tend to be less noticeable.
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Small update - Kimball’s lay window started on the 13th and nothing so far. Perhaps it’s just wishful thinking on my part though, but she looks even thicker now than she did in the first couple of pictures and her spine seems to be getting that more pronounced “tenting” you hear about/see when a female is full of eggs. Must be a bit uncomfortale, because she copped an attitude actually struck at me for the first time ever when I pestered her to check on her/top off her water. 
I would have gotten another pic, but I didn’t want to stress her out any more. Trying not to bother her too much, but I can’t help but peek in on her every so often. I sadly struggle a bit with being patient. 
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Nothing yet, but the poor girl is really starting to look huge. I got my cooler-incubator up and running now, and Ororo’s lay window begins in less than a week as well. I’m going to be going crazy until someone finally decides to drop! 
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Now day 40 post-POS for Kimball, and still no eggs yet. She is notably a bit restless today, as is Ororo who’s lay window begins tomorrow - do any of you ever notice your females acting antsy shortly before they lay?
Yeah a few of mine will ‘pace’ their enclosures. Just keep circling them or running along one wall for a bit. Moving in circles. Just depends on the girl.
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Did you seem to notice any time-frame they behaved like this before laying? Kimball keeps coming out of her hide, stopping after her water dish, then circling back around and settling back in her warm/nesting hide for a bit before repeating the cycle lol.
A day or three before the eggs. After they figure out what they want they usually coil up with tail in the middle for the big event
Here’s hoping! If they lay on the 24th, the eggs would be due to hatch on my birthday! 
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Quick snap before bed, looking real girthy 
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Definitely looks like they moved down so any time now 
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