Oh lord, we have babies....

A while back we took in two adult Rtb and three unsexed offspring. The adults were kept together. It's been almost a year, and I thought we were safely past the danger zone.....

Nope.

Last night while I was making my rounds I see a little grey tail poking out. Now I'm calling for hubby, grabbing gloves and hooks and generally panicking. The female had been a holy terror lately even striking at the doors when I walked past. Now I know why.

Once we wrangled her out and into her transport tub I start pulling out babies. Hubby said to expect at least six.

Thirteen!!!! Thirteen little worms, umbilical thing still attached. Thirteen.

I need links! I need research! What do I need to do differently from ball pythons? They don't want my frozen pinks... I'm trying to get my hands on live but that might take days. Of course they hatched...birthed? Right when I was the least prepared for surprises. I'm on the last dregs of my frozen supply, and pay day isn't this week. I let my cable lapse so I can get a rack... anyone in nj have a used one they don't need? Since no cable I've lost my internet so I will check back as often as I can.

Ahhhhhh!!!!!

Surprise babies! I can't really help but I do want to wish you luck!

Ideally you want to leave the babies in the spot where they are born until they move off on their own. You're already trying to feed them? I am confused when were they born?
I'll be happy to help but need more info on when this happened and what the set up is now.

okay re-reading this, they were born last night? What do you have them in now?

What I do is: once the litter is born, I remove momma and put her in a tub with a sheet and a water bowl. I leave the babies alone and mist the cage. I do this until they have all emerged their sacks (usually the act of giving birth breaks the sacks but not always) and wait until they have moved off from the birth site. Sometimes they leave right away, if they were a bit premature, they may stay in the birth site for 24-48hrs but usually within 12 hrs they have all moved off. Then I take the babies out, put them all together in a big tub with shallow water bowl and layers of paper (pic below). I do mist the tub once or twice a day to keep humidity up. Clean the heck out of the cage and put mom back.

I leave the babies all together until they shed. Once they have shed, I move each baby into it's own shoebox size tub (with water bowl and a hide. I usually use a toilet paper tube). Then a day or two later, offer their first meal. I always try f/t first but I'm big on the f/t over live anyways.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m...es6_27_09b.jpg

oh and the umbilicals will dry up and fall off on their own, as long as they are still not attached to yolk sacks, don't worry about it.
Baby boas typically will not eat until they have had their first shed.
Please let me know if you have any other questions :)

Whew! Well that is a relief.

When i I found them they were all over the place in the cage. Umbilicals were starting to dry. I removed momma wiped her down. I shuffled my ball pythons around to free up a sweater box sized tub and put them all in there on paper towel.

Today was feeding day so I did try, but obviously that didn't go so well. So no need to panic?

This whole thing threw me for a loop!! My Savannah monitor bit me, momma boa bit me, my normal ball keeps trying to bite me since she got down graded to a 15qt. So glad I'm good at defensive tong maneuvers.

Ok. So to recap- babies stay together till first shed. Is that first single shed, or until they all shed? Babies don't eat until shed. Mist and keep humid.

Questions: what should I order from the live rat guy? Mice pinks? Rat pinks? The frozen rat pinks seem a bit of a stretch for the smaller ones.
What is the ideal baby temp? I'm wavering between 90-92 right now in my rack. I expect temps to bump up slightly when my ac is removed next weekend.
Lastly I'm just looking for reassurance that there is very little chance she retained any sperm. Momma did eat, but not enthusiastically. I want to get some food in her before she figures out winter is almost here. She has a history of not eating until the flowers bloom. sigh.

ok, thank you for the info!! And that clutch was gorgeous!! Once I'm not squandering verison data I will post pics!!

(Ps-- had to budget a bit, but picked up seven purple handled plastic bins from target and water dishes. The rest will have to wait till next Friday. The rack might have to wait until Hamburg reptile show until I find somewhere with cheap shipping.)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

Today was feeding day so I did try, but obviously that didn't go so well. So no need to panic?

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Don't panic :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

Ok. So to recap- babies stay together till first shed. Is that first single shed, or until they all shed? Babies don't eat until shed. Mist and keep humid.

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Either or is fine, I usually take each one out after it has shed but have done it once they've all shed as well. Babies will shed 1-2 weeks after birth (usually around 10 days).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

Questions: what should I order from the live rat guy? Mice pinks? Rat pinks?

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I generally start with mouse fuzzies then once they have moved up and past mouse hoppers, start switching them over to rat pinks/fuzzies. (edit to add - I do f/t and usually they will take it without issue, may refuse the first time, again, don't panic)

I also usually give mom a week or two before offering food.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

What is the ideal baby temp?

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I keep my boas lower, at 85-88 but I know others keep them warmer and do just fine.

Good luck with them, looking forward to the pics. :)

Wow, I know that I would be in tizzy if that happened to me. :O I'm usually waiting on my paycheck as well, so I really feel your pain.

Here is a delayed Congrats for AFter things settle down. :)

So far so good. Had to drill a couple more holes in that tub. The water bowl shenanigans had humidity pushing 99%!

all babies looking good so far, without handling them. I did a quick search and discovered that the orange blob I found was a slug- so thirteen live babes and one slug. Momma back to her stubborn but placid self.

And yay! I think I can manage to get the cable back up tomorrow so hopefully pictures are coming!!!

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