Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got home to find my female Isla Marajo laid 7 slugs and a stillborn while I was at work. She's not straining, but definitely has some left to come out.

I will let you know as and when anything else happens.

How long should I leave her to birth what's left before getting worried?

B

Bobster,
...If she has not delivered the rest of the litter by now I would put her in a tub of lukewarm water and let her swim. I think the slugs may be the problem. They seem to be more sticky than slimy membraneous sacs that the babies are in and can get held up in the oviducts. As the snake struggles to deliver the slugs she breaks membranes on the other babies and they drown are delivered dead outside of the sacs. I try to leave them alone for several hours to deliver on their own. Too mucxh disturbance can cause them t quit trying to deliver the rest of the litter. After several hours if they have no delivered the soaking in a tub of water will help to get them fully hydrated and they will also swim in the water and this may help with peristaltic type contractions to deliver the rest of the litter. I have had some success after waiting several hours and starting to worry using manual gentle squeezing to force stuck slugs along so that they can be delivered. be very careful if you try this. Sometimes after delivering all of a litter they will still look lumpy due to the continued contractions. I
Good luck,
Jeff

>>I just got home to find my female Isla Marajo laid 7 slugs and a stillborn while I was at work. She's not straining, but definitely has some left to come out.
>>
>>I will let you know as and when anything else happens.
>>
>>How long should I leave her to birth what's left before getting worried?
>>
>>B

Thanks for the advice.

I left her to finish off last night and will bath her this morning. She doesn't look so lumpy any more and was up and about ready to feed when i check last thing.

She does'nt seem to have lost much wait so I have high hope that she'll be ok.

The stillborn was a stunningly marked little male, a bit premature but hey, one of those things. It's her first litter.

Will let you know how I get on.

Thanks again