Eddie, There are a number of things you can do. There are also some signs of retained babies and slugs. This happens a LOT more then we thing. Every year I have ONE female that has slugs or babies, and doesn't get all the slugs out. IF they don't come it, it can be fatal, and most of the time it is fatal. I have heard of some that hold the slugs still untill the following breeding season and then pushing them out. That also happened here 1 time. That is the exception though. Most often, some of the slugs will burst in the ovary and that slug material is sooo sticky it gets stuck and causes the other slugs to not come out. You HAVE to get those out. A profesional vet will do this. Scot Stahl has done this for me. He is the VERY BEST. He is in Virgina, and you can find his ad in reptiles magazine. It is pricy, but if the snake is worth it, do it.
NOW, here are signs of RETAINED babies or slugs. The female will STILL act gravid. Like you mentioned. Coiled up in the heat position or near heat. They WON'T accept food. Most females are Ferocious eaters one to two days after birth. Offer her a Dead Rat. See if she will take it. If she does not, then you probably have stuck slugs or babies. I would take her to get an x-ray or ultrasound. X rays can be harmful for babies, but I have had an X ray and had live babies fine. X rays can definatley determine if there are babies or slugs in the lower half of the snake. Once you do that you may see that she is Clean, or has Sluggs or Babies. Any reptile vet or Exotic Vet can do the X ray.
IF she still has stuck babies/slugs, then you NEED to get them out. Ocytocin can work and it has worked successfully on a Boa for me. One dose or two can do the trick. This will cause her to have more contractions and if she has stuck ones this MAY help. IF it is stuck Slugs, oxytocin doesn't really do the job, but you should definalty see your female go into contractions. IF the oxcytocin doesn't work, then you should have a vet that KNOWS how get them out. A good vet can get them out and SAVE the ovaries. Un unexperienced vet may do it but the chances of her breeding again are SLIM.
Ocytocin will work, however, you don't want to give her more then TWO doses. Scott Stahl told me that it is VERY hard on the ovaries to have contractions if they are stuck, and if they don't come out you are just causing her more stress and pain of labor. It Also can ruin the ovarys. So, BE CAREFUL.
I know this is a lot to ponder. Just relax and hope for the best. Why females do this?? I don't know. How come females give slugss??? I WISH I KNEW. I don't though. Hope this helps. Good Luck, Jeremy Stone
