Instructions
Watch the snake for behavioral changes; gravid pythons typically stay in the cooler areas of their enclosure and will often wrap themselves around their water bowl. They will also oftentimes become more irritable and aggressive.
Look for swelling about two-thirds to three-fourths of the way down the python̵7;s body. The swelling will look similar to the swelling you see two to three days after your snake has eaten an exceptionally large meal.
Visit your veterinarian and ask her to perform an ultrasound.
Palpate the snake using your hands to feel for solid egg masses. Refer to the following section for step-by-step instructions detailing how to do this.
Feeling for Eggs
Pick up the snake.
Position the snake so that its head is inside its cage and you are supporting its body with your hands. If possible, position its body so that it is lower than the cage. This will force the python to crawl upward into its cage, making its body flatten as it crawls over the ledge of its enclosure.
Squeeze the python firmly with your hands about one-fifth of the way down its body. Keep your hands at about a five- to 10-degree angle from the cage. Hold the snake firmly enough that it can move through your hands at a rate no faster than three inches per five seconds.
Hold your hands stationary as you allow the snake to slowly slither through them back into its enclosure. Begin to pay close attention to the way its ventral side feels once your hands are about halfway down its body.
Feel for a string of evenly shaped round bumps.
How to Tell If Your Snake Is a Gravid Python
̶0;Gravid python̶1; may sound like a species of snake, but what it actually refers to is a female python that has been impregnated and is developing eggs. Pythons̵7; eggs are fertilized internally, so once they are laid they need only to be incubated and then they will hatch. There are many species of pythons, but they all share the common characteristics of being nonvenomous constrictors, meaning they squeeze their prey to death. If you suspect your snake may be gravid and are not prepared to care for hatchlings, call your local snake breeder or pet store for assistance.