Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My little one was at a festival yesterday and came home with some new ink, lol. They had a picture of a tri color, and she asked if they could only use red and white for her so that it could look like "snakey". Too funny.

But I have a question. Does this gaigae look gravid? I saw and heard a few hookups, but I am unable to feel anything while letting her move through my fingers. I have a lay box ready and will introduce it, but this is my first breeding of colubrids and I'm curious as to what the pros think. I haven't been weighing her through the process, but will in the future. As always, thanks for everyone's help.

-----
Joe

If I had to guess just by the picture I would have to say I don't think she is gravid.
-----
Randy Whittington

HAHAHA!,...Joe, your little girl's albino triangulum tattoo is just too darn cute!..LOL!.....that's a good one man!

Ya know, that Black looks pretty evenly proportioned, and thick throughout, but doesn't really seem to be towards the latter third, at least not yet anyway. I don't know when you first witnessed the mating, but females usually start showing pretty well after about 3 weeks or so. Pick it up and try to get it to relax a bit and let it dangle and look at it from the SIDE, or even manually stretch her out, and look for her to abruptly start thickening just after her her mid body area on down from the side view, this should give you another good indication as well. Many times, you can make out individual lumps from the side pretty well.

Towards the end, the eggs tend to move further down some towards the cloaca.

If you really can't discern any conclusive thickening, or egg lumps at this point,.....throw the male back in with her for a while, and see if she refuses him and continually bucks him off. This is usually another good indication that she is already gravid.

Good luck!, ~Doug
-----
"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Thanks Doug.

Yes she is thick throughout, much thicker than my male so I though maybe something was going on. It's been a little over three weeks since I first saw them. Guess the guy gets another shot.
-----
Joe

Joe, was reaching for my phone when the post came up.....was going to see if my sprinkler idea had merit,lol. Anyways, I would have to say that the black milk isnt gravid,sorry. Another month is hatching time, your best bet to find another would be in August so keep that sprinkler going! Jeff

I knew that would get your attention ! No luck for milks yet here, but not for lack of looking.
-----
Joe

Joe - look at her from the side and see if her belly scales are stretched downward - in other words is her belly hanging down looking full? Sometimes my gaigeae doesn't get too wide when gravid but her belly bursts out downward which you can't see so much from an overhead view.

Also keep the male in with her for a while longer. My male starts trying well before the female is ready. they are late breeders so keep the male with her a while longer.

Good luck
Dave

DNS Reptiles - Updated

Thanks Dave. I'm not sure these photos capture it well, but when I dangle her from the front third of her body, the bottom third looks round and a little flabby or "soft" and not flat or slightly concave and muscular as she normally looks. I reintroduced the male last night and there doesn't seem to be any interest right now.

She is in deep blue as you can see, and has continued to eat (last meal 3 days ago). I guess we'll see in a few weeks.

-----
Joe

Hey Joe,

Its hard to tell from a photo, but I think there is a good chance she might be gravid. Is this her second shed or third post brumation? Mine ALWAYS go no sooner than the female's second shed, so if this is her second, she may be ovulating and I would throw that male back in with her.

My female was just as large when she ovulated this year as she is now being gravid. I was amazed how huge she swelled up when ovulating. I thought she was gravid! Sometimes its hard to tell. Good luck and email me at dnsreptiles@yahoo.com if you have any other questions.

Good luck.

Dave

DNS Reptiles - Updated

There is a good chance she has slugs in her.She is very round but lacking the girth of fertile eggs.There is always a chance she hides it well though I have a few hondurans I always wonder about and get good eggs every time.

L8r Shannon