To feed or not to feed?

[ssscales]

What if you miss the ovulation or can't tell because of the female's girth as is? How do you know if it is a POS shed or reg shed?

Would it be best to leave them together till all breeding attempts are over without food? Or separate once a month for a few days and offer a small food item to keep strength up?

I've read some breeders separate and feed and others don't separate or feed at all till after ovulation swelling has gone.

Just curious...

[JDouglas]

I have been wondering the same thing?

Last year I didn't feed my carpet female from Halloween until after the eggs were laid. She was very skinny after laying so this year I decided to feed her small meals once per week. I have been putting the males in for four days and then removing them four three days. I feed my two females the day the males are removed. Breeding was seen frequently the first couple weeks but hasn't been witnessed for a week now. I have seen an overall swelling in both females but nothng that I would think was ovulation. I am waiting anxiously for ovulation and I agree that a food bulge makes it difficult to see.

Last year I missed seeing ovulation and I looked in her cage at least 3 times per day everyday? Also, to confuse matters more she didn't have a post ovulation shed and only had a prelay shed?

They can be tricky sometimes!

[ssscales]

I too stopped feeding completely one year at introduction and did not feed till after birth. I noticed my females would lose a lot of weight and seem weak. Last year I fed my boas small meals and kept the pairs together 3 weeks on / 1 week off and fed. They did not lose as much weight, had more energy and looked better.

This is my first year breeding JCP's and I've gotten mixed messages on feeding and separation. The females had their last meal last week, males fed 2 weeks ago. I will be introducing them this Sunday and was wondering would it be best to leave them alone or separate and feed, if so how often?

I introduced my boas in October and they have been going at it on and off. I fed once since then 2 weeks ago a medium rat. Both my Dum females have shed, but I did not notice ovulation. Then again my Dum females are thick as is.

[JDouglas]

I would bother feeding the male carpet. I didn't feed mine for three months last year and he lost very little weight. He may not eat even if it is offered.
Thing are going well for me on the schedule I stated above but we will have to wait and see.

[ssscales]

Good Luck!

[gonesnakee]

If they will eat why wouldn't you feed them ESPECIALLY the female. The whole offspring process takes alot out of a female & she should still be fed as often as she will take it. I'm not talking huge meals but using several smaller prey items instead. You want your female to be as big & as healthy as possible for breeding purposes & not feeding a female that would still eat is just silly. That girl needs as much nutrition & strength as possible. Not feeding her out of convience (sp?) etc. is just wrong. IMHO I can't beleive that people would not feed a female breeder that would still eat otherwise & would seriously question their ethics. Mark

[ssscales]

I do think feeding the female a small meal now and then is a good thing and in no way has a negative effect on the female.

[bighillreptiles]

my female is as big as a house and has not ate for over 7 weeks now i still have the male in with her and have not seen them doing annything for the last three weeks first time breeding costal carpet pythons and she has not gone into a shed yet hope things work out right for me with them i am moving next week and will keep the pair apart from there on in

[JDouglas]

Not feeding a female during breeding has nothing to do with ethics but more to do with captive propogation and manipulation to get the desired affect... healthy offspring.

[ssscales]

I'll be introducing my males to my females this Sunday, crossing my fingers!

[sSNAKESs.com]

This is a test post. Please ignore it.

[ssscales]

Today I introduce the larger of my two male JCP's with both females. Both females happened to defecate within 10 minutes of introducing the male, no action yet. I'll leave him with the two girls for a week, if nothing happens I'll switch males.

This is my first attempt at breeding pythons.

[ssscales]

Still no action on the part of my JCP's. I seperated them today and fed both males and females a small meal. I'll wait about a week before introducing the males again to the females.

My Boas have been at it for weeks now on and off. I think one or two of the females have taken, thou I haven't witnessed ovulation.