Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had this female for about 2.5 yrs now. She is about 350g right now. She has ALWAYS been a great feeder for me, but in the last 2-3 weeks she has repeatedly refused food. Not only that, but she doesn't even strike at it at all. She lets me just hang it right in front of her face and she just sits there. Usually when she is in shed she will at least strike at it, and then just not eat it. Anyway, now she is also starting to look real plump even though she hasn't eaten in the last 2-3 weeks. I know this picture is crappy, but it does show a little bit how she is starting to plump up, and she looks a bit more uncomfurtable than usual. Let me know what you all think. Isn't this kind of a weird time for her to be far enough along to be showing like this, or do people frequently get litters around this time of the year? I haven't ever bred any tree boas, but I have bred common boas and ball pythons and by the time they are far enough along for me to see them plumping up they usually drop within the next month, are ATB's like this? If not, what should I be expecting/watching for?

If you have read to here, I thank you. And thanks in advance for any replies!

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Ben

Ive produced 6 litters of amazons and all of them were born in sept/oct. sometime. This is the right time. She looks pretty plump to me, so theres a good chance she's gravid. My females always act uncomfortable, moving from the ground to the perch, back and forth daily. Mine really havent shown preference for basking, which in other animals has helped me out a lot. But they all have stretched abdomens with the skin seperating towards the rear.So, just give it a bit of time and see what happens.

Thanks for the info. I am glad to hear that this is still the season, and that I might actually really have a gravid ATB on my hands! Her last shed was on June 25, and from what I read on the Urban Jungles website if that was her post ov shed, then she should be due between now and the end of this month. And like you said about yours, she does seem very uncomfurtable, and she is moving from perch to the ground more often than she did before. And for sure has stretched skin toward the posterior part of her body! She has been on the heat some the last bit, but I haven't really been paying attention because I wasn't expecting this until next year. I got the male that is in with her back in April (but he was an '03 baby) and he was about 70g. He didn't get over 100g until about the middle of May. I just didn't expect him to be producing sperm etc. this early. Do males usually start reproducing that small? I have only bred heavy bodied snakes, so this is still weird to me that snakes so seemingly "thin" can be reproducing! Oh well, I guess we will see in the next few weeks! Thanks again for the comments, and hopefully here in the next few weeks I will have some neonate pics to show you all!
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Ben

My male never went off feed, is that normal? With my other breeding experience males have gone off feed when breeding. Thanks again!
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Ben

Ive had males and females at 18 months breed, I couldnt give you weights, but they werent huge. Doesnt seem like they go off feed too often for me either. I usually stop feeding once I see breeding activity, just so I dont screw anything up. Ive found that they are easy to breed and dont cause too many problems in the process. Good luck.
Dennis