Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Many people sit and wonder if their snakes are really gravid. Off the top of my head I'm not sure which protein or hormone early pregnancy tests for humans tests for but can this same test be used for snake urine?

Let us know your technique for collecting Boa urine. That might be a bit tricky. You can just put their hands in warm water right?
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Jeff Ronne Sr
The Boaphile
Director USARK

Originator of Boaphile Plastics
The Boaphile Boa Site

Lol! Oooo it's so warm!I think I just peed myself.

As far as collecting a sample wouldn't a q tip swabbed through the latest defecation work? Usually plenty of urine comes with it. I don't think I would try and elicit a bowel movement but for someone willing a nice soak in warm water is usually what's recomended for people with backed up snakes.

Collecting urine from a boa is all but "impossible".

You have to get "lucky" and catch them in the act. Then simply put the early pregnancy test strip in the "fresh" urine that's coming out.

BTW I've been there and done it on this one.

I'm still in the process of gathering info.

So far, tests show that using a "human" early pregnancy test does "not" work on a boa. However,.... Well, I'll leave the however part after more tests have been done.

unlikely any company will ever research and market such a product.... and like Jeff said... there isnt a accepatable way to calloct snake urine without aspirating it with a needle... you cant just use contaminated urine for laboratory assays....
traces of contaminants throws off human Urinalysis .... better to just go on Observations
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Marc Duhon
Lafayette, Louisiana
SURINAMBOAS.COM
kaiyudsai@SURINAMBOAS.COM

The person that comes up with something like this for boas or snakes in general would have IMO a sure fire patented money maker on their hands.

The biggest obstacle would probably be the tests deciphering a female that's gravid vs full of slugs. My guess is that her body gives off the same hormones. At that point, what's the difference with just looking at the boa then making an educated guess?

Besides, we're already using ultrasounds. Why not just perfect that technology as it seems like a much more broad technology with more uses.

just my thoughts
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What's written above is purely my opinion. In fact, MOST of what you read on the internet is someone's opinion. Don't take it too seriously

Jonathan Brady

Deviant Constrictors picturetrail

JB it all sounds good on paper.

But have you seen the price of an ultrasound machine? Even a old machine that is the size of a fridge can still cost 3500$ and the new 4D ultrasounds 10K and up.

That is a huge investment the average JOE could not afford.

The fetal doppler heart-rate monitor is a cheaper route as they retail from 35$.

I have been reading every article I can find on how to tell if a boa is Gravid and it's not quite down to a science yet. If there was a simpler way I think we could all benefit.
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www.BetterBoa.com

9.7 BCIs
4.5 Corn snakes

So far, the Fetal Doppler has proven to be 100% accurate for determining if my boas are pregnant. I even had a female that was carrying 14 slugs and 4 babies and I was still able to hear them.

Of course, the cheaper dopplers won't work. You need to get one that's 2 or 3 Mhz to hear the heartbeats. Those dopplers range between 80 to 150 dollars. It's still cheaper than an ultrasound machine.

That's great info on the baby doppler. Does anyone know the time frame on when the heartbeat can be picked up by the doppler?

I've heard the heart beats as early as 6 weeks and 1 day after the ovulation.
Of course, I've been using the dopplers for quite a while.

You should expect to hear them about 10 weeks after the ovulation. If your female doesn't want to sit still for you, it might take 12 weeks after the ovulation. After you've been doing it for a while, you'll be able to hear them at 8 weeks after the ovulation.

It's all a matter of how still your boas are and how well you listen.

When I heard them at 6 weeks and 1 day, I was actually surprised. I wasn't expecting to hear them that early.

Once you've heard the heart beats and comfirmed she's carrying live young. It's best not to listen for them anymore. I normally hear them by 8 weeks and then I'll listen again at 2 to 3 weeks prior to birth. They're very loud just before birth, compared to the early sounds. They're still a "soft" wooshing sound, but not as soft as they are at 8 weeks.

For you first time, it's probably best to wait until 10 weeks after the ovulation, or suspected ovulation. That way you'll get a better idea of what to listen for.

Thanks for all the great info Linda.
I have been reading all about your doppler methods on a few forums and think I may have to finally give in and get one.

I used a friends stethoscope the other day and either my girl was not gravid or they can not pick up the sound good enough.
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www.BetterBoa.com

9.7 BCIs
4.5 Corn snakes

My thought process was saying fetal doppler, but for some reason, ultrasound was the word I was thinking of.

Thanks for the correction!

jb
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What's written above is purely my opinion. In fact, MOST of what you read on the internet is someone's opinion. Don't take it too seriously

Jonathan Brady

Deviant Constrictors picturetrail

reading articles isnt the key.... you just have to learn from experience.....
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Marc Duhon
Lafayette, Louisiana
SURINAMBOAS.COM
kaiyudsai@SURINAMBOAS.COM

I've already tried the human early pregnancy test strips on a boa.

I've not been able to "collect" urine, but I have been lucky and caught some females in the act of urinating. I've put the test strip in that fresh urine, as it was coming out of the female.

Human early pregnancy test strips do "not" work on boas.

Still, there's more work to be done. Even though the test strips didn't show if a female boas was pregnant... Well, I have more tests to do, but you can't use a human pregnancy test to tell if a boa is pregnant.

Thanks for letting me know. Saved me the money and trouble of trying myself

Imagine this picture...comedy....Seeing someone with their boas tail dipped in warm water while the person is sitting there talkin nice things to try and coax the girl to pee all the while holding an EPT in rapt suspense. Yea Jeff put this thought in my head with the whole warm water thing.

LOL...

OK, now I've got that image in my head. LOL.