Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After 5 successful litters this year,

A had a sad morning today, checked my remaining two gravid females and saw one was back to being skinny.
I thought cool, she dropped her litter.
When I checked her moss hide I found she had dropped her litter but there were no moving babies.
Final tally, 17 still, 9 slugs. Definately one part of breeding that sucks!!
On a good note, mom appears fine, drinking water and resting.

I'll hang on to the stills for a little while to ensure they are in fact still. Many are still in the sac just not moving.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Sorry to hear that. I had two litters this year that turned out that way.....but at least mom is okay....

Chris O
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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com
Naked I see the camp of those who desire nothing

Dave,
That really sucks. Sorry this litter didn't do so well. You can rest assured that nothing you did caused this since it is obvious that you do know what to do. I'm glad mom is okay, ultimately that is IMO the most important part.

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When the student is ready, the teacher appears. When the student is ready, the teacher appears. When the student is ready, the teacher appears. When the student is ready, the teachers appears.

Thank you, yeah I can't see where anything I did was wrong but you never know. Agreed that mom being ok is primary focus, she has not been a great breeder for me, usually producing several slugs/stills but this is the first time there were no live babies. Ultimately I will probably replace her and retire her to a life as somebodies pet.
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dave,
...Sorry about the bad litter. I DO know how you feel because I have had plenty of bad litters and have even lost gravid females. You probably already know my theory is that the slugs are the problem. Slugs are difficult to deliver and perhaps the snake breaks the membranes on the others laboring to deliver a slug and the babies drown before they can be delivered.
Jeff

>>After 5 successful litters this year,
>>
>>A had a sad morning today, checked my remaining two gravid females and saw one was back to being skinny.
>>I thought cool, she dropped her litter.
>>When I checked her moss hide I found she had dropped her litter but there were no moving babies.
>>Final tally, 17 still, 9 slugs. Definately one part of breeding that sucks!!
>>On a good note, mom appears fine, drinking water and resting.
>>
>>I'll hang on to the stills for a little while to ensure they are in fact still. Many are still in the sac just not moving.
>>-----
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"
>>
>>
>>0.1 Wife
>>0.2 kids
>>4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
>>1.1 Ball python
>>0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
>>1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
>>0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
>>0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
>>0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
>>
>>lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

The more you breed , the more you run accross not only the fantastic animals but alkso the tragedy of reproduction gone wrong. Even with the loss of tis litter I am quite pleased with my overall year. In the last three days I've had about 50 babies shed out and been able to see some of the true colors. Definately found some lookers in the bunch. A few of which I will be holding back for future breeders.
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

So sorry to hear this. I have been there as well. I went through a series of failed clutches two years ago. The babies were born healthy looking but stillborn. My wife took one look at the situation and suggested I keep my gravid females in larger cages instead of the sweaterboxes they were in. the theory was that the snake was giving birth in a cramped area and somehow this was affecting the babies. Maybe they were crushed or suffocated. I have not experienced this since I relocated my gravid females (knock on wood). This may not apply to you because it sounds like you've had plenty of success this year under similar contitions, but it might be worth considering. Again, sorry

Mike

Mike,
....Very interesting post. It has got me to thinking. I used to have better litters when I kept most of the gravid females in 48 inch cages. I bought some 36 inch Vision cages several years ago and keep the smaller gravid ones in them. I will make some adjustments this next season.
Jeff

>>So sorry to hear this. I have been there as well. I went through a series of failed clutches two years ago. The babies were born healthy looking but stillborn. My wife took one look at the situation and suggested I keep my gravid females in larger cages instead of the sweaterboxes they were in. the theory was that the snake was giving birth in a cramped area and somehow this was affecting the babies. Maybe they were crushed or suffocated. I have not experienced this since I relocated my gravid females (knock on wood). This may not apply to you because it sounds like you've had plenty of success this year under similar contitions, but it might be worth considering. Again, sorry
>>
>>Mike