Posted by:
AbsoluteApril
at Wed Jul 18 12:41:45 2007 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by AbsoluteApril ]
Well I can't say yes or no... but it is possible that the male was removed too early and she is not gravid.
Sometimes the swelling of the post-ov swell will look like the ovulation and cause the male to be removed too early. This happened to me which is why I mentioned it. She swelled, shed and I was going to remove the male since he wasn't showing interest (that I saw) but decided to leave him in on the advice I got. About a month later (I don't have my records handy) she swelled again and then shed again a few weeks after that (POS). Here's a couple of pictures of her a month before she gave birth (she had 18 babies).
Note the seperation of scales. She was fed, maybe 3 or 4 times during the entire gestation and not at all for the last month and half.
My only experiece has been with BCi. Have you noticed her laying on her side with the last 1/3 almost completely upside down? I've seen this in all 3 of my successful breedings.
Breeding is tricky, wish they would read the manual and do it like clockwork and show all the signs they are supposed to, but they don't. So it's hard to say "Yes, your boa is gravid" or "nope". From what you are describing and the length of time it has been, I think she is not but that is just my opinion.
I think the 'hang down method' is a good indicator as was mentioned in the other reply, I've just never used it myself. I've had a breeding where I thought it took and it didn't (first one) and I can say that once you've seen gravid boas and have been through it a few times, it's much easier to tell and see the signs.
If she is in fact gravid and has babies when you are gone, they will most likely be okay. I've left babies in with their mothers for over 24 hours and they were fine. If someone you trust can come check on her and she gives birth, you have another temp cage set up to remove the mother into, even better.
I hope for the best for you, don't mean to be raining on your parade if it came across like that! If it didn't happen this year, try again! Good luck! -April ----- 'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow
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