Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

One of my females has been off food since Christmas, shed on 15/11/05 and again on 16/3/06. I have been in to have a look the past few nights and she's flat on her back at the warm end of her viv. (not seen this with any of my 'brown' females)

Is there a strict correlation between ovulation and PO shed particularly within the red subs?

Also, is there a correlation between the time that they start lying in the inverted position and partuition?

Just trying to work out when she's likely to give birth (not that I'm impatient or anything!)....

Many thanks

Bobster,
....No correlation. I have had them shed from right after a shed to a month after and even while very opaque getting ready to shed. Some of my females roll over to thermoregulate early in gravidity and some only do it very very rarely late term. The only predictor I have found is that about 5.5 monbths after last observed mating they lay babies. They often stop eating and really start to look fat and lumpy a couple weeks after those last observed matings.
Jeff

>>Hi,
>>
>>One of my females has been off food since Christmas, shed on 15/11/05 and again on 16/3/06. I have been in to have a look the past few nights and she's flat on her back at the warm end of her viv. (not seen this with any of my 'brown' females)
>>
>>Is there a strict correlation between ovulation and PO shed particularly within the red subs?
>>
>>Also, is there a correlation between the time that they start lying in the inverted position and partuition?
>>
>>Just trying to work out when she's likely to give birth (not that I'm impatient or anything!)....
>>
>>Many thanks

In Green Tree Pythons a noticeable ovulation can be used to predict when the eggs will be laid.

Ovulation may be hard to recognize in BRB's because they are much more secretive. I saw what possibly was ovulation in one of my females and noted the date this year. I tend to agree with Jeff's 5.5 month gestation. While I've noticed them assuming strange positions throughout gestation as well, It's been most prevalent towards the latter part.

Off feed since Christmas? Sounds like she may have become pregnant 3-4 weeks prior. That puts you at about 5 months. I hope you have some empty cages laying around.

Good luck and keep us posted. You may be the first clutch of 2006.
-----
Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Bottom line.....BRB's drop the babies when their darn good and ready, not one second earlier. Last year I had two seperate breeding colonies, had 6 total viable litters. 5 litters dropped between 08/06 and 08/24, the 6th didn't drop until 10/13. Why was the one litter so much later.....she was NOT darn good and ready....LOL
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
2.7 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (adult breeders)
2.5 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2004)
4.8 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2005)
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I didn't see mating at all, but saw a midbody swelling from mid December looking like mature follicles. Damn me for not recording when I put the male in, but he's been in since sometime around Christmas (after i noticed the swelling) until a couple of weeks ago.
She's not looking too big, but has striping etc.

My others have been pretty reliable with their PO sheds and i have some that had theirs around mid November and gave birth in March/April (Paraguayans and Ecuadorians). Overestimated their dates by about 3 weeks so have now given up on guessing lol!

The thing is, I'm going to New York on 18th May and just know that's when she'll have them!!

Oh well, thanks again and guess i'll just go back to pressing my nose up against the tank!!

Does anyone breed any of the brown subs? Have you noticed any more reliablility/difference in shedding patterns between them and the reds?