Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So, the time is drawing near. With any luck, I am expecting my first litter in 2-3 weeks. Now I need to know what to do with them between the time they pop out and the time they get their own tub. I've read everything from leave them alone for the first day, to cut and tie and powder their umbillical(sp?) cords. Remove mom first, or just remove them. My question is...what do you all do?
Thanks again for all the great info!!!
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Chris
1.1 Columbian BCI
0.1 CA BCI

im expecting my first litter in June, i will be taking them out as soon as i know they are born, so mom won't crush them, place them in a tub with wet paper towel and start tieing of emblical cords with fishing line and then allowing them to rest on their UTH as i clean mom and the cage up, im sure this is what the rest will be doing, oh yeah, after taking 1,000,000 pictures of course
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1.4 various boas(Flicka,Felony,Nova,Alias,Alibi,confessa,custody,Ms.Demeanor)
0.1 BRB Abalone; ABBI
1.0 Rott X (OSO)
2.0 cats (Simba, Morris)
fish & feeders

Their is no need to tie off the umbillical chord unles their is a large yolk sac attached and still their after 24-48 hours. I've never had to tie the chord in 14 years of breeding.
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Snake room janitor

Typically, once I am completely sure mom is done, and not just taking a break, I will move mom to a clean cage, and feed her immediately. She's usually ravenous and feds aggressively. Then I remove the babies to a medium sized (32 qt.,or CB70, or...) tub/rack with moist paper towl substrate heated on one end to about 84-86F, 78-80F ambient. I place several shallow water bowls in each tub to provide drinking water and keep humidity up. I put 10-12 neos per tub. They typically pile up on each other over the heat source. I change the damp paper towles daily until all have shed. As they shed, I move individuals to seperate shoeboxes and feed them.

I have never tied off or powdered umbilicals. If there is still yolk after parturition, if left alone, the neo will/may absorb the remaining yolk as a first meal before leaving the ambiotic sac. Otherwise, I let the umbilicals dry and drop off naturally. I have never had any bad expereinces in this area.
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uncommonboa.com

Thanks for the tips. My only other question is on moving mom. Will this probably be a hold her by the head and use the stick move. Is she likely to be super aggressive? Looking at how she's thinning out, I'm sure she'll be quite ready to eat. Is it okay to give here a huge meal?
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Chris
1.1 Columbian BCI
0.1 CA BCI

I would say that a huge meal is not so good.

She will be fiesty - its a combination of her hunger, and her instinct to protect the babies. I throw a towel over the females head, and then get ahold of her behind the head, and support her body to remove her. Remove the babies, clean her cage, and put her back.
Although she's been stretched out from the babies, its not her stomach, it has shrunk, and a large meal probably is too much. It would be like you not eating for a couple of days, and then having a Thanksgiving meal -- you'd get sick. I feed a med sized meal and three days later, another med sized meal. and then larger meals every 7-10 for awhile until she starts looking herself again. Then I go back to normal feeding, which for my adult girls is every 10-14 days.
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Snake room janitor

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Chris
1.1 Columbian BCI
0.1 CA BCI