# Royal breeding question



## walcotiron (Aug 6, 2013)

Hope someone can help... I am making my first foray into royal breeding but have some questions. I have read various guides and stuff but can't quite seem to find the answers for my questions.

I started pairing my male and female royal last november, 3 days on, 3 off. Both are proven breedera. I witnessed multiple locks and earlier in the year (march/april time) I witnessed my female showing developing behaviour, lumping up and preferring the cooler end of her tank. My question is, how long is it between her showing developing behaviour and ovulation? And how likely is it that she is gravid? At what point should I give up hope of eggs appearing?

What other signs are there when she is nearing ovulation?


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm gonna get straight in there and say this...
Did you actually do any research before hand?


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## walcotiron (Aug 6, 2013)

I have read what I can from the resources available to me (outdated library books and limited internet access) and I figured that, for a newbie like me, a reptile forum with hundreds of experienced keepers would be a good place to come to ask questions and get advice from people who have experience. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Do you actually have a helpful response?


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Research should have been done prior to beginning breeding


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## walcotiron (Aug 6, 2013)

heathster said:


> Research should have been done prior to beginning breeding


As stated, I have done as much research as I can with the resources available to me. I would understand this comment if I had posted something along the lines of 'herp derp I have put my snakes together, what happens now?'. I know the process of breeding and what happens, I am just unsure of time scales between witnessing developing behaviour and ovulation occurring as i have never done this before (again, everyone has to start somewhere). If I had done no research, I wouldn't even be aware of these things. As for likelihood of being gravid and knowing when to give up hope of her having taken, I was hoping that somebody with actual practical experience could give me a well informed answer. I know some signs of female royals being near ovulation, but again, was hoping that somebody with more experience could enlighten me further.

Again, I request a helpful response, neither of which yours have been. What is the point of being on a forum for help and advice if you are only going to deliver snarky, unhelpful comments to people who are just looking for friendly guidance from people who have done this before?


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Oh I have experience.


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## neep_neep (Oct 18, 2007)

walcotiron said:


> Hope someone can help... I am making my first foray into royal breeding but have some questions. I have read various guides and stuff but can't quite seem to find the answers for my questions.
> 
> I started pairing my male and female royal last november, 3 days on, 3 off. Both are proven breedera. I witnessed multiple locks and earlier in the year (march/april time) I witnessed my female showing developing behaviour, lumping up and preferring the cooler end of her tank. My question is, how long is it between her showing developing behaviour and ovulation? And how likely is it that she is gravid? At what point should I give up hope of eggs appearing?
> 
> What other signs are there when she is nearing ovulation?



Hi,

This is a great website about breeding royals: Markus Jayne, Ball pythons | ballpython.ca and is very informative. Apparently it can be about 6 weeks from building to ovulation, but as Royals they don't necessarily stick to the 'plan'! I missed the ovulation of one of my females, so I went by shed cycles. By the timing of her shed cycles, it worked out she ovulated approximately 6-7 weeks after she started glowing. You don't say whether your girl has had any sheds recently? Is she still eating or is she off her food? Lots of people are still getting eggs, so all hope is not lost - I'm due a clutch any day now :2thumb:

It is clear from your first post that you have researched breeding, and your question is a perfectly valid and sensible one : victory:


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## walcotiron (Aug 6, 2013)

neep_neep said:


> Hi,
> 
> This is a great website about breeding royals: Markus Jayne, Ball pythons | ballpython.ca and is very informative. Apparently it can be about 6 weeks from building to ovulation, but as Royals they don't necessarily stick to the 'plan'! I missed the ovulation of one of my females, so I went by shed cycles. By the timing of her shed cycles, it worked out she ovulated approximately 6-7 weeks after she started glowing. You don't say whether your girl has had any sheds recently? Is she still eating or is she off her food? Lots of people are still getting eggs, so all hope is not lost - I'm due a clutch any day now :2thumb:
> 
> It is clear from your first post that you have researched breeding, and your question is a perfectly valid and sensible one : victory:


Yeah I did see the 6 week thing on that site and constantly use it for reference, but somewhere else I read said anywhere from a few weeks to 6 months and those are the only 2 references I could find to it. She hasn't had any sheds recently (though i think going into one at the moment) and has only eaten one small meal recently but otherwise been very much off her food and she normally eats like a pig (I have more accurate feeding records somewhere but they're buried at the moment!)

Thanks for the response, nice to know there are some helpful members on here at least :notworthy:


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## Alex Boswell (Apr 15, 2012)

heathster said:


> Oh I have experience.


Why you being such an arse? Why comment on a thread when you aren't going to contribute to it?

OP, I agree with neep_neep, that website is very useful : victory:


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## koyotee3 (Aug 8, 2009)

heathster said:


> Research should have been done prior to beginning breeding


funny that did you not know about shedding but asked.http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/936356-corn-snake-shed-feeding-help.html its a forum to ask questions not bully


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## koyotee3 (Aug 8, 2009)

: victory:the female can retain the sperm for upto 9mths,,: victory:


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

heathster said:


> Oh I have experience.


I agree with the others.

In the interest of the forum, please consider your responses and offer helpful, constructive advice. This will make the forum a nicer place for all.

The whole point of us being here is to offer friendly, useful, constructive advice, not to pick out peoples mistakes and give them grief for it.


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## walcotiron (Aug 6, 2013)

[


koyotee3 said:


> funny that did you not know about shedding but asked.http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/936356-corn-snake-shed-feeding-help.html its a forum to ask questions not bully


There are... no words.... 




Alex Boswell said:


> Why you being such an arse? Why comment on a thread when you aren't going to contribute to it?
> 
> OP, I agree with neep_neep, that website is very useful : victory:


Yeah I have it saved now, I did keep stumbling a cross it and finding it really helpful and then forgetting what it was called when I wanted to find it again!




koyotee3 said:


> : victory:the female can retain the sperm for upto 9mths,,: victory:


Wow thanks for that, that makes it somewhat more of a guessing game. I'll just have to wait and see I guess!

Thanks all for helpful responses, greatly appreciated :2thumb:


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## kenobi (Sep 15, 2008)

I start pairing in December 
3 - 4 months of locks and ravenous feeding 
Shed skin she will be glowing at this point - pre ovulation shed and starting to build you'll notice a bulge appearing in the lower third and female will bowl wrap start looking lumpy and seek the cooler side of the enclosure 
5 - 8 weeks later ovulation - appearance of swallowing a coke can 
Approximate 16 days later goes into she'd - prelay shed 
Approx 28 days after shed - eggs 

This is going from my brewing records for this year 
6-7 months from first mating to egg laying


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