Dumerils Boa Parthenogenesis

Parthenogenesis


Life finds a way.


Doctor Doom, a female Dumerils boa we've had since she was just a few months old, has never been paired with a male.


This evening she threw a partho litter. Most of the eggs were slugs, there were half a dozen stillborn, another that is alive but underformed so she probably won't make it, and this one live critter.


Her name is Miracle. Sorry for the blurry photos, she did not want to sit still.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...0811_share.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...0811_share.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...0811_share.jpg

That's awesome- :D Don't you just love surprises? How old is Doctor Doom? As you know (I've posted about in the past) I've had similar experiences- such as with my then-15 yr. old rosy boa. I get the impression it's more likely to occur in older female snakes- it's as if their body hits an alarm button about their "biological clock running out" for offspring- so that's why I asked the age of your Dumeril's. Congrats- I hope your Miracle makes it & is healthy.

My god. I have never heard of this in live-bearing snakes. Please keep us updated and I will definitely be keeping my fingers crossed that little Miracle thrives.

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

My god. I have never heard of this in live-bearing snakes....

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It's not common but it happens, & has been reported in garter & rattlesnakes too. So either way (live or eggs), "nature finds a way". :cool:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

That's awesome- :D Don't you just love surprises? How old is Doctor Doom?

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She is a 2012 so 13 years old. Last year she cycled and threw all slugs so I just figured it was one of those odd things.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

She is a 2012 so 13 years old. Last year she cycled and threw all slugs so I just figured it was one of those odd things.

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Um, "Is that your final answer?" ;) I think she'll be 13 in 2025? :D Eleven years old sounds more like it- but either way, she's mature.

That rosy boa that I had- she started throwing slugs in the few years before she ended up in my hands (& she was freaking out the less-than-snake-experienced staff in the nature museum) & then she had a live neonate shortly after she came home with me. It's like throwing slugs is a warning sign from a mature snake. :rofl: Anyway, I'm glad you're getting the chance to raise a partho-boa- it's pretty special, & it's your "turn".

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Um, "Is that your final answer?" ;) I think she'll be 13 in 2025? :D Eleven years old sounds more like it- but either way, she's mature.

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Whoops! Yeah, I was up very late last night/early this morning waiting for her to finish since I checked each neonate for signs of life, and then of course her enclosure needed to be cleaned out after she was done. So I'm running a little slow today.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Whoops! Yeah, I was up very late last night/early this morning waiting for her to finish since I checked each neonate for signs of life, and then of course her enclosure needed to be cleaned out after she was done. So I'm running a little slow today.

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That's okay, you have a good excuse. :)

They're doing well and both ate last night.

Awesome! :gj: So there's 2? The one you didn't think would make it, has so far? Cool!

Yes. Angel, the smaller one, has a little bit of a neck kink though. Miracle doesn't have any visible physical defects, but of course you can't tell what's going on inside. They're both passing urate though so fingers crossed everything is good.

Unfortunately, defects are common, but not always a big issue. One of my partho rat snakes had a good life until over 3 years old, when her neck kink* became an issue & I had to euth.- it was too bad, as she had a great personality & fed well- but when the kink became a problem for her, it was obvious & not fixable. I'm still glad she was here though. (*and hers didn't look too serious either, though I'd imagine it would have been, or much sooner, for a wild snake that had to constrict prey instead of being served pre-killed.)