Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok i have been in most of the room and i have noticed people refering to gravid as in heat and as pregnant...

the way i was explained it its when she is in heat... is that correct??

shiloh

and the word heat I've never heard being used with snakes just dogs and cats.

i was using the word as a figure of speach..

i grew up breading chememeons and everything i was tought about terms i learned their and i was tought that gravid ment she was ready to breed... or in heat...

i'm just trying to figure out if people have different understanding on the word or i was just misunderstanding the word...

shiloh

Pregnant with live bearing animals (boas, vipers, people), and gravid with egg bearing animals (pythons, chams, colubrids).

Also, litter would be used for boa babies been born. IE; this litter was born yesterday. And for egg layers it would be clutch.
-----
Chris & Alliey
Giantkeeper Reptiles
E-mail Us

Boas are ovoviviparous so I think it does apply to Boas, Vipers as well. Maybe I am wrong but that's what I always thought.

my point still remains the same, they are born live, and not in a shell.....thanks for pointing that out.
-----
Chris & Alliey
Giantkeeper Reptiles
E-mail Us

their membrane sack is considered an egg from what I was told.

Regardless of a membrane or not, the method is different. I believe the terms should be as well.
-----
Chris & Alliey
Giantkeeper Reptiles
E-mail Us

I don't want to start an argument. I am just going off of what I learned. Believing they should be different doesn't sound like you definitely know yourself. I know I am not a Biologist or Herpetologist and I have a feeling you aren't either, so I will just leave it at that. If someone could chime in with some facts that would be helpful until then we will keep going in circles. Whether it's Pregnant or Gravid, it's still a beautiful thing!! Take care and have a great day.

Here's the definition, you two have fun! LOL, take care!

Pronunciation: 'gra-v&d
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin gravidus, from gravis heavy
Date: 1597
1 : PREGNANT
2 : distended with or full of eggs
- gra·vid·i·ty /gra-'vi-d&-tE/ noun

Hey Paul....looks like we agree on something!!!!Hope all is well. Brett

Since the embryo gains no nutritional substances from the mother, I don't see how there could be an arguement against the term gravid being correct.
-----
Davey Giltner

So does your point still remain the same? You can't correctly use the term gravid for Boas? Are you sure it's pregnant?

????
-----
Chris & Alliey
Giantkeeper Reptiles
E-mail Us

Are you familiar with breeding cats & dogs? If so, you would know that they get pregnant & have litters. They are also born in a membrane sack! Yep, if it does not break in the birth canal, they are in sack. The same thing happens with boas. Now, I am unsure if this sack serves the same purpose in each species. Do you still think the proper term is gravid?
-----
Chris & Alliey
Giantkeeper Reptiles
E-mail Us

Because Websters Dictionary says, the definition of Gravid is pregnant. So, guess you can call it gravid, and I can call it pregnant, and still be the same thing.
-----
Chris & Alliey
Giantkeeper Reptiles
E-mail Us

Come'on gravid is so much easier to say and it sounds so much cooler. Take it easy! Brett

This is a fact, look up the definition of Gravid if you dispute it.

Gravid refers to anything that is carrying child.. It is accurate with humans as well.. The medical term used to describe a pregnant woman is Gravida. There ya go.. So it is accurate to use for boas (even though they are live bearing.)

to go a step further, for example, if an animal is gravid with their 4th litter they are Gravida 4.

Later.
-----
Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com