Miracle rainbow boa litter

So cool! Subscribing to see how this goes!

sent from my EVO

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bioteacher

Looking back on the post now, having only 2 offspring really couldn't prove parthenogenesis - you'll really need to do genetic testing to compare the genetic makeup to the dam. Although a male would completely disprove parthenogenesis immediately.

---

Actually yes you still could, and even if one is male does not disprove parthenogenesis. Males are the normal homogametic sex ZZ and normal females are ZW. The WW females produced by parthenogensis are oddities. I believe the BWC partho litter was the first confirmed viable WW females offspring in vertebrates. So ZZ and WW Partho babies will be completely homozygous, whether male or female. In most species partho babies are full clones of the mother and still ZW.

http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.o...2010.0793.full

That's what I figured. I'll pop them as soon as they shed and eat their first meals. I'm going to take pics of mom because she is certainly not a columbian. Her pattern is not as washed out an she has stripes down both sides as do the babies. Waiting on a shed so I can send them to he checked.

Confirmed as a Guyana striped rainbow boa. And as soon as these guys shed they're stuff will sent to warren booth. Cannot wait to see of they're parthenogenesis babies.

Very interesting, keep us posted!

Keep us updated!:)

I don't know if anybody has suggested this, but are you going to test the stillborns as well? I think it could be beneficial, as they could be studied more throughly than the live young. Also, maybe there was a genetic basis for why they were not viable.

I would have loved to but the wife and I had actually buried them in the yard. We didn't know what else to do really. But I'm glad we can at least get some tests done with the two live girls.

Great thread!
I can't wait to hear the final results of their sex and genetics.
Congrats!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MrLang

Wait...

Rainbow boas live birth? RTBs too?

---

A decent number of snake species have live birth.
Boas, garter snakes, ribbon snakes, some other colubrids, and vipers(rattlers, copper heads, etc) are some of the more common ones.

Coolest. Thread. Ever.

Subbed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MasonC2K

Coolest. Thread. Ever.

Subbed.

---

Thanks. Both babies are in blue and I'm waiting for the shed. They both have BRIGHT blue eyes. And boy do they have an attitude. They're a lot like their momma.

I showed my wife this thread and she said "aww I want our rainbow boa to have miracle babies."

0.o Dude. My jaw dropped. Amazing.

have you named the babies, or are you waiting till you sex them?

Names them skull and tails (my 5 year old brother names them) still waiting on she'd number one to be able to pop them to make sure. Then their sheds will be sent to the professor and well get the determination on parthenogenesis. :-)

:O This is definitely one of the best threads I have seen!:bow:
Will be impatiently waiting for your updates!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C&H Exotic Morphs

:O This is definitely one of the best threads I have seen!:bow:
Will be impatiently waiting for your updates!

---

Thanks man. I really appreciate everyone being as into this thread as I am. Woke up this morning to two freshly shed little ones. My wife is going to try their first meal tonight. But heres a pic of one from yesterday.
http://img.tapatalk.com/a69360ae-d873-7cb6.jpg

Momma is in shed so once she sheds pieces of all three will be sent out for testing. I cannot wait!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Foxtuning65

I cannot wait!

---

This is literally the most suspenseful thing I have ever had to wait for. I know you said you aren't selling the little ones, but I wonder how much they would be worth if they were proven to be partheno babies.

Yeah we decided to keep them but I have thought about what the price could be on them. But they're certainly staying with us. And trust me were both very excited to see if they are partheno babies.

Ok so good news, popped both baby girls and they are in fact both little females. This supports the theory on parthenogenesis. Once big momma sheds we will send out the sheds and see what comes of them. The bAbies glow is so incredible. It's still amazing to us that they're even here.

Wow, both girls! I'm excited to see the results!

sent from my EVO

That is CRAZY. Rachel I lol'd.

Anyhow, congrats! 0_0 Beautiful babies and momma! Keep us updated!

Just sent the sheds out to Dr Warren Booth today. I cannot wait to hear the results of his geno-typing. And also the two babies ate today :-) each took a live pinkie. This is just amazing. I'll get some pics of everyone tonight.

False alarm on the feeding. We just Got one of the little ones to eat a live pinkie last night. The wife was upset to hear it squeaking but the babies have to eat. The sheds got mailed yesterday so I'm waiting to hear from the Dr about partheno or not. I promise pictures tonight :-)

I'm going to try and feed them again tonight. And maybe even get some pics. Ran into an issue with the sheds but they'll be getting looked at very soon. Cannot wait!

Did you have to send sheds from the babies and the mother? Do keep us informed of the outcome :)


<---Signature--->
Snakes, Jeeps, Dragons, Nature, & Knives.. Makes my world go-round!

Yup, had to send sheds from both babies and the mom.mom ate a medium rat last night. Going to put on some pounds.

As far as we know right now, these are in fact parthenogenesis babies. I will have to wait to hear from Dr Booth about it 100% but he said by the looks of it that's what we are dealing with. It's so cool to see these two and their mom. I just wish the two stillborns made it. I'll post some pics we took yesterday of mom and babies.

That is so amazing!

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

This is just amazing. Glad to hear everyone is doing well :)

*Exciting!*
Pictures? :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lferg

No male since 2008?? :O She's been slipping out at night and running the streets

---

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I'll be posting the pics of mom and the babies soon. They're on our camera and I have to load them on the comp. but to hold you over I have a few pics of what mommy thought of me cleaning her cage haha
http://img.tapatalk.com/addaf4b8-4e9d-c84b.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/addaf4b8-4eac-d779.jpg
All cleaned up. Believe it or not she actually bit me twice.
http://img.tapatalk.com/addaf4b8-4ebc-4b51.jpg

This was later that night NOM NOM NOM
http://img.tapatalk.com/addaf4b8-4ef6-363e.jpg

I promise new pics of the babies tomorrow!

This is SO INCREDIBLY COOL.

:banana: Simply amazing. I remember reading an article about parthenogenesis in my AP bio class in high school, haha.

Yeah, I've heard about it before in via constrictors and stuff. You should've seen the look on my face when I got home and actually saw the little girls. My fiancé was home, called me panicking saying she had babies. I couldn't believe it. It just amazes me. And the day before I said I don't want to breed her cause I'm not a rainbow boa person. She got me back for that comment :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lferg

No male since 2008?? :O She's been slipping out at night and running the streets

---

hahahaha

Wow I wrote a paper on this last semester and I've heard of it in whiptail lizards, komodo dragons, and theres an article in one of my reptile magazines about a RTB who has produced two litters all by herself. So you may get another litter from her which would be crazy.

And Partho babes don't have to be female. All the babies born from a Komodo dragon who produced this way were male. Makes sense because in a single sexed environment this gives the species a fighting chance to hold on.

Very cool though. It's interesting to hear about it from someone first hand. Keep us updated!

Well whether they need to be female or not we have two little girls. Cleaned their tubs today to get them ready for some food tonight and took a few shots. Still trying to get one to eat and the other is in blue. But anyway, here you go.
This is Skull. I love her eyes. She's currently in blue.
http://img.tapatalk.com/a69360ea-aef3-2441.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/a69360ea-af1d-33b1.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/a69360ea-af39-b866.jpg

This is Tails. She has yet to eat. It's almost about time to assist her. But she doesn't look boney at all. So who knows.
http://img.tapatalk.com/a69360ea-af6e-360a.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/a69360ea-af81-c63c.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/a69360ea-af95-ab7b.jpg

Hope you guys like the pics. Once Skull sheds I'll grab some pics of her glow.

So has there been any update? Did they confirm parthenogenesis with your beautiful babies? Just wondering:) And how are the babies doing?

Brewster - Do you have a copy of the Komodo paper? I'd love to read it since you said males were produced.

Foxtuning - try live pinkies left in overnight to get Tails to feed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bioteacher

Brewster - Do you have a copy of the Komodo paper? I'd love to read it since you said males were produced.

Foxtuning - try live pinkies left in overnight to get Tails to feed.

---

Unfortunately it was on a national geographic show about komodos but I could probably find something online.

I did a quick google search and found this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6196225.stm

Apparently males are produced in Komodos because they have Z and W chromosomes with ZW being female and ZZ being male. When they produce through pathogenesis either the Z or W gets copied. WW isn't viable but ZZ is so all her offspring are male.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bioteacher

Brewster - Do you have a copy of the Komodo paper? I'd love to read it since you said males were produced.

Foxtuning - try live pinkies left in overnight to get Tails to feed.

---

I have tried them a few times. She has refused everytime. So I'm getting to the point where a possible assisted feeding might be the only way. She hasn't even eaten once. Temps/humidity is one and she has several hides, so well see what happens. She isn't acting sick or anything so that's good. I'll grab some new pics ASAP.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Foxtuning65

I have tried them a few times. She has refused everytime. So I'm getting to the point where a possible assisted feeding might be the only way. She hasn't even eaten once. Temps/humidity is one and she has several hides, so well see what happens. She isn't acting sick or anything so that's good. I'll grab some new pics ASAP.

---

Have you tried switching feeders. I'm not sure how big new born rainbow boas are but switching between mice, rat, quail, chicks, or maybe even African soft furred pinkies could trigger a feeding response.

You could also try scenting with a lizard or frog. I don't know about rainbow boas but I know many species of snakes as babies are programed to eat those.

I will definitely look into different feeders. I had her out earlier today and she's acting normal. I just hope she eats soon.

Just a quick update on my two little girls. Skull is growing fast and eating frozen thawed with no issues. Tails has tried to eat twice but was in shed both times. It's crazy. Anytime one is in blue the other is in blue and sheds as well. They always shed at the latest one day apart. These two little babies are amazing. Still working on tails feeding again though.

Update!
Got little tails to eat. I took a pinky and pressed it up against her nose and she opened her mouth and took it. It took her a few minutes to get it down but she ate. It's nice to be putting some weight on the little one. As for skull, she is growing crazy fast and has been taking pinkies off of the tongs like a champ. I will grab some pictures of skull tonight. Don't know if I want to bother tails.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lferg

No male since 2008?? :O She's been slipping out at night and running the streets

---

:rofl: I have to agree! I can't believe she had babies after that long, what on earth!?! Has she been with any "females" since then?

edit, just realized this thread is super old, but still cool!

Haha it's ok that it's old I still update it. And she has not been with Any other snakes. I keep everyone separated so these babies are truly miracles.

Any conformation From Dr Booth yet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brewster320

I did a quick google search and found this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6196225.stm

Apparently males are produced in Komodos because they have Z and W chromosomes with ZW being female and ZZ being male. When they produce through pathogenesis either the Z or W gets copied. WW isn't viable but ZZ is so all her offspring are male.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by minguss

Actually yes you still could, and even if one is male does not disprove parthenogenesis. Males are the normal homogametic sex ZZ and normal females are ZW. The WW females produced by parthenogensis are oddities. I believe the BWC partho litter was the first confirmed viable WW females offspring in vertebrates. So ZZ and WW Partho babies will be completely homozygous, whether male or female. In most species partho babies are full clones of the mother and still ZW.

http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.o...2010.0793.full

---

I know your thread is old but thought I would share. I have a ball python that just laid eggs 4 slugs and one that looks viable. She has never been with a male I have had her 15 years and she was a baby when I got her. Did you leave the slugs in until the babies hatched or should I get rid of them? I am hopeful that I have a miracle baby :)