Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I received a WC PTS about eight weeks ago, underweight and in predictably poor health. After a clean shed, appropriate diet (feeding every day, minor supplementation) (s)he appears to be in quite good health- holding her body on fully erect legs, instead of "sliding," active at the appropriate times of the day, ie. evening and morning, very hungry, and never going more than two days without defecation. I am new to this species (I have a group of three, one adult, two juvies, all which interact "well."- and otherwise only have pythons, which are far easier to sex! I'm running on sexual dimorphism, as explained in this forum, to hesitantly guess that my adult speciman is female. The distention of her stomach has increased since I've had her, and it is difficult for me to tell whether she has simply filled out from proper husbandry, or whether she is gravid. As such I'm interested in knowing additional signs of a gravid animal, and any considerations I should take should she prove to be. (My vet is great with snakes, but this is new for her too.) If she were a python, I'd throw in a nesting-box about now, what do you do for skinks? (If only I kept boas...lol...than I would know about this whole live-baring thing.)
Thanks for any insight- probably all just wishful thinking on my part, but I'd like to be prepared either way.
(Especially as concerned potential further treatments- should I hold off if she is gravid? I'm unaware of the literature on anti-parasitals and pregnant herps.)
Thanks again...
-SWA

Hello! Their gravid/pregnant state lasts about 7-8 months, and they give birth to 1 or sometimes 2 babies. When I am execting a baby PTS I set up another warm zone on the bottom of the enclosure, either a heat pad under a kitty litter box with an additional hide or a ceramic lamp. The mom PTS(s) have consistently become bottom dwellers a week or so before birth, and I have noted increased soaking this time around with Gertie, as well as Thelma. Aggression increases before and ALOT after birth- and mom guards the area of birth from people and other PTS. Eating goes way up, then tapers off to just about nothing in the last few weeks. Poops get VERY small.
Things your vet can do to confirm gravid state. A calcified skeleton will be visible a month to two months before birth. A yolk can be seen almost from day one with ultrasound. A moving baby can be seen by a few months up to the very end. If your vet sees snakes and has an ultrasound, they can spot a yolk and baby with no problem. You can have them contact me directly via e-mail and I can fax copies of ultrasound photos from our office to their office, or have them e-mail me with their office contact info and I can call with a very specific description of ultrasound findings if they want.
Good luck on a healthy baby! Though you may just have a fat and happier PTS now...
Jess b
I received a WC PTS about eight weeks ago, underweight and in predictably poor health. After a clean shed, appropriate diet
(feeding every day, minor supplementation) (s)he appears to be in quite good health- holding her body on fully erect legs,
instead of "sliding," active at the appropriate times of the day, ie. evening and morning, very hungry, and never going more
than two days without defecation. I am new to this species (I have a group of three, one adult, two juvies, all which interact
"well."- and otherwise only have pythons, which are far easier to sex! I'm running on sexual dimorphism, as explained in
this forum, to hesitantly guess that my adult speciman is female. The distention of her stomach has increased since I've had
her, and it is difficult for me to tell whether she has simply filled out from proper husbandry, or whether she is gravid. As
such I'm interested in knowing additional signs of a gravid animal, and any considerations I should take should she prove to
be. (My vet is great with snakes, but this is new for her too.) If she were a python, I'd throw in a nesting-box about now,
what do you do for skinks? (If only I kept boas...lol...than I would know about this whole live-baring thing.)
Thanks for any insight- probably all just wishful thinking on my part, but I'd like to be prepared either way.
(Especially as concerned potential further treatments- should I hold off if she is gravid? I'm unaware of the literature on
anti-parasitals and pregnant herps.)
Thanks again...

Thanks- thats exactly the information I was looking for. It probably is just a "fat-n-happy" PTS, but just in case, I like to know what to do, as well as what to ask my vet to do...
Thanks again, if indeed she is gravid, I'll definately post some follow-ups.