Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After 6 weeks my 1.4(was 1.5 until a female bit me, snake food!) has finally started giving me litters. 2 litters in the last two days. I don't have a count yet, the mothers like to stay right on top of the babies and the other females seem to want to help. I see at least 6 babies per litter. I didn't expect it to take so long, I was about to feed the big male to one of my snakes and get a new one. Guess he lives for now. One thing that surprises me is that I've seen a third female stealing babies from the 2nd mother and she allows it! She's giving them to the 1st mother. Now I'll never get an accurate count oh well.

Hope you all have a happy and safe new year!
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JMHO, FWIW, YMMV.

Your lucky. My first pair went way longer with no babies, but they were my kids pets so there was no feeding them off for me. Sometimes it takes them a while to settle in and get to know each other. You know how women are...we need to be romanced a little first.
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Anna

The Zoo
Corns
1.0 Snow - Cornelius
1.1 Ghost(pastel) - Eek & Boo
1.1 Amel - Parker & Scarlet
0.1 Hypo - Nikko
0.1 Anery - Missy
0.1 Hypo Motley - Cordelia aka Cordy
Boas
0.1 Columbian (BCC) - Bella
Lizards
1.0 Leopard Gecko - Leo
Rats
0.1 Dumbo Agouti - Moon
1.0 Silvered Black - Pluto
1.0 Powder Blue - Corner
Plus the breeders
Cats
1.1 Siamese - Blue & Fiona
0.1 Gray DMS - Druscilla aka Dru
Horses
1.0 Thourghbred (Hunter/Jumper) - Morgan's Majesty aka Cody

Well it turns out I only had one litter, the second female has been stealing babies! The second female is still obviously pregnant, probably due any day now. She took almost all of the babies and the first female took them all back but one. I put the last one back(not with my fingers) and within 30 minutes the second female took the baby again. Ever had this happen? Will she take care of them?
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JMHO, FWIW, YMMV.

They'll be fine. Rats often comunally nurse. The best thing to do is leave them alone and let them settle down. The only time that I do anything is if one set of babies is bigger (a week or more) than the others. Then I seperate the mother and the little babies. Otherwise they don't seem to be able to compete for milk, the older bigger ones get most of it.

DeMak