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also can be heartbreaking. I have had this happen too many times. A PERFECT litter where the babies come out ALL dead. Many times you get a litter with a 1/2 slug count or higher deliver early and the babies don't survive, but every once in awhile, everything seems to be Perfect, and then BANG!!!!!!!

Just goes to Show that there are NO guarantees in Boa Breeding. I guess every season has many highs and many lows. I know there are many who have experienced both sides this year. IT happens to us all!!!!! If it hasn't yet, it will. I don't mean to sound doom and gloom. Sorry...

The Results:

Hypo Arabesque Female to Motley

4 Dead Hypo Motleybesques

2 Dead Hypo Arabesques

3 Dead Motleybesques (for those who would like to see just the normal Motleybesque cross, give me an email at jeremy@boaconstrictor.com and i'll send you the pictures)

4 Dead Motleys

4 Dead Hypo Motleys

2 Dead Hypos

2 Slugs

The Hypo Arabesque gave birth 4 days prior to day 105. All babies were HUGE, perfectly formed, and dead out of the sack. This has happened to me 4 different times that I have on record where there is a very low slug count and a High Baby count where everything seemed very good. OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On a Happy Note, right above the female and dead babies was a DH Striped Albino bred to a Striped Albino that gave me a perfect litter of Striped Albinos that are AWESOME. Some very cool Stripes too. I guess you take the Good and the Ugly and there is ALWAYS next year.........

I'm still very determined.... LOL

Jeremy Stone

I have been destroyed by a few litters that I had been super excited about, and worked several years to achieve....obviously not to the extent of a Hypo Motleybesque (Bad @ss btw!!!!).

2 seasons ago I bred my Albino Argentine to my Salmontine female...things looked so promising. I could not believe the project I spent 3 years to acheive, was one step closer. Yep, she had slugs, a stillborn, and 2 premies. The premies would not eat and eventually were euthanized. Mom died shortly after also. What luck I thought, and I almost quit...lol. 2 years later we are built up and looking forward again!!!

Humbled yes! But I still love my boas.

Take care.

Chris

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Chris & Alliey
www.bloodyleopard.com
E-mail Us

that is really tough. I'm so sorry to hear about the dead babies. I know how disappointing things like that can be. Hopefully the mom is okay and you can try her again in the future.

On a brighter note, congrats on the litter of Stripe and Stripe Albinos - they look great! I always liked the striped Albinos!

Thanks for sharing the good with the bad...

Celia
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Celia Chien
Celia Chien Photography

www.ExoticsByNature.com

www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.CornSnakeMorphs.com

I have never lost such a valuable litter, especially a first time litter, but many of us can relate to your experience. You never get used to it and it always sucks. The litter is very interesting. First of all no Lucy unless you are holding out on us. The pattern of the hypo Motley arabesque is interesing. It certainly does seem that the hypo gene doesn't have much effect on the arabesque gene and thus other hypo arabesque combos might be very interesting.
I know you ultrasound your females. I am wondering if you go back and look at your four litters where all babies came out dead if there is any common factor like early delivery, age of female, number of babies for the size of the female, size of the babies or something else that is present in the 4 litters.
We have been fortunate enough to have several excellent posts by Amanda Burke and Jeff Ronne recently and hopefully with your extensive experience you can shed some light on this unfortunate litter.
Finally, I am assuimg by the way you describe them that there is no special name for these combinations that you are giving them other than the descriptive name using the morphs present.
Sorry that the litter died but the information from it is usefull. Thanks for sharing the information with us.
Bill Kirby

Bill, Thanks for your Reply. You are right. I did do Ultrasound breeding, and I have all the notes from all the breedings. I will post the results on the new web page in my Boa Blog. I don't know if everyone would want to hear all that negative stuff. I do think I have some correlation though. Hope things are going well for you. Jeremy Stone

Sorry i didn't address this in my other post. You bring up an interesting point about naming the snakes. Do you think I should attach a different NAME to the morph rather then keep them self discriptive? I don't know what to think. I guess I could NAME all the combos I have done, but I think it is a LOT easier for people to understand them when you just call them what they are by the names they have already been given. I know the Ball People do it all the time for 2 different snakes that have 2 different named traits. For Example the BUMBLEBEE. That is just a Pastel Spider. It does look like a Bumblebee, and therefore a good name. I don't know what to think. What do you think?

I guess this could be a great topic to bring up. I would be interested in others thoughts too.

With the Boas, I have felt it easy to just call them what they are genetically.

Jeremy

to hear that man. Hang in there and get it next season bro!!!
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Greg Holland
GM HERPS
www.imageevent.com/gmherps
gmherps@sbcglobal.net

That sucks but is encouraging for sure, for future efforts! Congrats on the albino stripers and keep up the great work!

Billy

Good work though!
Thank you for sharing so openly as well. It's been really great having the recent participation of "heavy hitters" such as you, Jeff and Amanda! I know a lot of people think that sharing their “secrets” will hurt the industry, but I feel that the more people that are out there practicing good husbandry there are, the better it will be for everyone-especially the animals!
Thanks again!
Aaron

Sorry about your loss! Andy
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Jeremy:

We're all very sorry to hear about your loss.

I wish you success with the rest of your projects.

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Brian Gundy

www.for-goodness-snakes.com

dont worry you'll get'em next year. Vinnie

Hey we hear ya Jeremy. We don't have as many "quality" snakes as you do, but it does really hurt when you have days like this. We haven't had much luck this year at all. We've got one girl left to drop & give our hope back. So we are really praying that she comes through for us.
But we are very sorry to hear about your loss. I guess you gotta say what you always do..."there's always next year".

Congrats on the other clutch though!
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Insane Canes, LLC
Shawn & Jennifer
954-696-7596 10-9 EST
www.InsaneCane.com
Kingsnake@InsaneCane.com

...with breeding boas, you get tremendous high and tremendous lows! Man, that really sucks! Those darn boas!

Jeremy sorry to of this, but as aways you manage to bounce back with more good stuff....keep up the good work!

Griff / L.A.Snakes, Inc. / lasnakes@hotmail.com
L.A.Snakes, Inc. / Griff

especially when it is a loss to the ENTIRE community. One MORE new morph that perishes.

No need to reply to the below post.

Sorry to hear about that litter Jeremy. I've had horrible luck with my boas this year except for the moonglow litter of course. I've had 7 litters this year, 5 of which were complete losses and one only had 2 live babies (argentine x argentine). Boas sure can be frustrating. Considering how delicate they are, its a wonder that any females in the wild actually give live, healthy births. I guess we all have a lot to learn about boa breeding yet. Good luck with the rest of your litters for the year.

Garrick
CrestedGecko.com/ Royal Constrictor Designs

Very sorry to hear it......

Chris
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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com
Naked I see the camp of those who desire nothing

hear the arab-motley mix is positive.
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Take Care,

-Ryan Homsey

www.topnotchboas.com

For all the Replies and Private Emails. I'll post pictures of the other snakes on the Boa Blog. I'll also email the pictures. I really appreciate the thoughts of everyone in here who replied. Most of the people who replied have had something very similar like this happen, and can relate. I know this is the DOWNSIDE, but it sure does make the UPSIDE a lot more worth it when it happens. I do not like the Downside though. Especially when it is something like this.

Take Care, Jeremy Stone