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Well its too late, Ive been worrying for at least a week now. I have been breeding boas for quite a few years and theres always something new to experience. Heres my latest worry.

I have a hypo het albino that was bred by my het albino arabesque, last year she had some super nice babies and I was hoping for Sunglow arabesques this year.

She ovulated on 1/6
Post ovulation shed on 1/18

She was huge quite some time. I had thought there were quite a few nice babies in her. Well on about 4/25 she had a small poop and pushed out a slug. It looked like it may have been one from last year I really don't know. Figured at that point she would slug out however she only had that one and still looked quite gravid with healthy babies. She shed on 5/2

So here we are May 16 and no babies yet, and no more slugs. She has a large lump closest to the vent but pretty far up (looks like a slug). The rest of her above that has slimmed down quite a bit, and looks like maybe there are babies in there uptaking yolk, shes lost alot of weight so there something in there. I'm afraid that the large mass may be a stuck slug in front of babies (although the lump is not to the vent area yet still carrying quite high). So when would you start worrying? I am contemplating a vet visit soon.

So has anyone seen something like this before? Can't post pics right now because of my computer sorry.
Pythons.Net

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Pythons.Net

Hey stuart you've been doing this successfully longer then me.I'm in no position to give you advice.My opinion though
would be to go to the vet for ultra sound. At the very least
you'll get an idea of what is in there.If she is in trouble
then hopefdully a skilled practioner will help. Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz

I dont have experience with that either but i have seen egg laying snakes that cant pass the last of their eggs because their passage gets twisted before the vent and has an appearance kind of how you described. I am a novice but it sounds serious. good luck

I would have started worrying when she went into that intermediate shed so close to the due date. But then I REALLY like to worry a lot! I haven't had one do that. That certainly doesn't mean anything though. Boas do what they do and she may be getting ready to give you the prise you had hoped for.

Last year I had a female shed, eat a jumbo rat, and give birth all on the same day IN THAT ORDER! So Boas do what Boas want to do. I had given up on her being gravid by the way...

By my math today is day 119 after the POS. I've had a female go to day 126 before. The fact that she shed only 12 days after ovulation is a bit strange too making this 119 after the POS really more like 115 if she had shed at a more common 16 days after the ovulation. Or a total gestation so far of 131 days. NOt that far beyond the 124 I think is more average.

What about the other signs:

1. Was she favoring the heat plenty until about two weeks to ten days ago when they tend to "wander" a bit more?

2. Did you notice her thinning down at any point in the vicinity of the products of conception, like they do before they give birth? I'm sure you have observed that many times as many Boas as I know you produce.

3. Have you ever seen any nesting behavior at all?

4. Have you tried using a Doppler fetal heart monitor to hear if you can find baby heart beats?

That's all I can think of right now. I'm busy worrying about a couple females myself...
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Boaphile Home
All Original/Boaphile Plastics
The Boa Network

By my math today is day 119 after the POS. I've had a female go to day 126 before. The fact that she shed only 12 days after ovulation is a bit strange too making this 119 after the POS really more like 115 if she had shed at a more common 16 days after the ovulation. Or a total gestation so far of 131 days. NOt that far beyond the 124 I think is more average.

.............Yes well this whole pregnancy is weird. Get this....I had two females (one already dropped 13 healthy babies) that had males introduced and 2 weeks later ovulated. This girl included. I had NEVER had that happen. BOTH females had males introduced on 12/22 then ovulated 1/1(already had babies) and this girl 1/6 how crazy is that!

What about the other signs:

1. Was she favoring the heat plenty until about two weeks to ten days ago when they tend to "wander" a bit more?

................Still soaking up heat even climbing up on her box closer to the heat source.

2. Did you notice her thinning down at any point in the vicinity of the products of conception, like they do before they give birth? I'm sure you have observed that many times as many Boas as I know you produce.

................Yes she is really thinning out almost to the point of not looking so gravid anymore although you can tell there is something there. Obviously the first thing before the vent is a slug I suppose to be anyway.

3. Have you ever seen any nesting behavior at all?

................Not yet about three days ago she expelled a small amount of liquid and I thought she was about to throw babies but didn't.

4. Have you tried using a Doppler fetal heart monitor to hear if you can find baby heart beats?

................No don't have one but need to get something like that.

That's all I can think of right now. I'm busy worrying about a couple females myself...

................Thanks I will definitely update
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Pythons.Net

This works!

$114.00 shipped!

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-LCD-Fetal-Doppler-Baby-heart-monitor-by-Hi-Bebe_W0QQitemZ200223824927QQihZ010QQcategoryZ117028QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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Boaphile Home
All Original/Boaphile Plastics
The Boa Network

I had to get one after watching the video and it really does work.

I am by far no expert but I did have my finger up a Boa this month! My girl was pushing and pushing but she was stuck as well, also old slugs. I would not recommend my method- but I felt something had to be done. If you do decide to go in just be very gentle and remember- upon entrance, make a sharp left or right but not straight in!

Ended up she needed surgery to remove 4 more old slugs.. this was just last Friday. However I was able to help remove one, but it was already at the vent.

Good luck!
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Thanks
Shawn Morelan
www.Southernboids.com

The dopplers work great, but don't use them more than "once every 2 weeks". Then once you've confirmed heartbeats, don't use it on them again. At least, not until just before their due date and the babies are pretty much fully developed.