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Re: February 2007 Photo and Caption Comments Thread
The only one that I can think of that you'd notice in captivity is that the male would stop courting her. She's no longer "attractive." BTW "attractive" is a specific term that relates to particular pheromones (vitellogenin) that the female stores in fat (lipid) deposits just under her dorsal scales. During mating, the male releases hormones with the ejaculate that make her unattractive within 15 minutes. Mating then stimulates her to mobilize the vitellogenin. This makes her unattractive for a longer period, during which time wild females would leave the hibernaculum and mating congretations. At about 3 weeks post fertilization, you can feel the young. They feel like little lumps and are closer to the vent than the stomach.
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