Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm new to kingsnake and was wondering if more experienced people could help me. I am working on my first breeding attempt and I got lost somewhere along the way. My male was put with my female at the end of November, separated a few times for feeding and put back until he showed no interest. I saw a few tail wraps but not actual copulation. I don't think she ever went through her POS, I found one shed in her cage while the male was in there and I think it was his, (I only think because it was broken up but didn't seem to be her size) she's now very restless in her cage and I'm wondering what I should be expecting. Without knowing her POS date, or if she even had one, how can I tell if she's pregnant at all? Sorry for being the newbie here, we all have to start somewhere right?

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Without some equipment or experience, there's really not too much you can do, other than wait to see if she delivers.

Behaviorally, you should have noticed her gaining girth, practically living on the hot spot, and eating little or at least not as aggressively, if she were gravid. Probably alot less active in general, not that baos are track stars to begin with. And, that's if she is behaving near the "norm" for a gravid boa. However, you have to keep in mind that there are plenty of boas that do not behave "normally".

I suppose you could attempt to palpitate to see if you feel anything that feels like developing embryos, but I would't recommend it. Since boa egg "shells" are only thin membranes, I don't even know if you could really feel anything distinguishable. Even if you could, without expereince, you really have nothing to compare it to. Plus, I stongly discourage handling gravid animals at all.

The only practical way to know for sure is to ultrasound. But unless you have easy access to the equipment, that's really not practical either.

So, wait until she either has, or doesn't have, a litter is about all you can do, IMHO.

Sorry, I know you wanted a more definite answer, but that's the best I can come up with.

Mark
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uncommonboa.com

I also might add that if she has become restless this could be a sign. She'll start to wonder the cage and look for a place to
nest in the Aspen substrate (This is another reason I like to use aspen so much)
She'll dig out a nest and settle and wait for parturition ( birth ).
Also often the fem will release a waxy stool some 5 days or so before parturition.
If she is behaving in this manner she might be close.
Other wise she might just be really hungry.
The problem here is that its not good to feed a gravid Boa in
the last probably 4 weeks of gravidity.
This feeding can lead to complications and premature parturition.
Without an ovulation date or POS date its very hard to know.
All you can do at this point in my opinion is look and learn.
Some times you have to learn the hard way with the hard lessons.

. . . Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

Here's a possibly helpful Link for you
Ultimate Care Guides

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Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

I really appreciate your responses. I think she's teasing me, I really do. Some days she'll be real restless roaming in circles over her heat, other days she doesn't seem to move at all. (still over her heat) She does seem bigger than normal, but nothing like I've seen pictures of. Most of you guys post pics of your females looking like they are going to explode, my girl is more like a saggy bigger. Kind of like a water balloon half filled with water, narrower toward her spine and saggy toward her bellly if that makes sense at all. Anyway, thanks again guys.

Good luck, and let us know what happens either way!

Mark
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uncommonboa.com

...the 'flat tire' effect...

A female boa ordinarily has a somewhat square shaped body profile (think of a bread loaf).

But I have noticed, females that are gravid, begin to show a profile, that looks like a half flat car tire that needs air...there will also be significant scale separation, with the pale gray skin showing between the scales.

Some females will also coil up more often like this when they are gravid:

Of course neither of these will give you any idea of the due date, but as others have said the last few days she may become restless, tossing around the substrate to make a nest.

In the last few weeks, the mass of babies should also start moving more toward the tail, and her front half will look very skinny in comparison.

If she does have babies for you, be very careful removing her and the babies, as some females become extremely aggressive after the birth.

Hope this helps, and good luck with her!
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Heather Martin
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the flat tire effect is the perfect way to describe how she is right now! thanks.