Hey Jeff can you help us

[stripeboa]

We have a female that we bred back in August. And we started to think that she was not gravid until a couple weeks ago when just she got huge almost look like ovulation but never went away. So I got out the Baby Doppler but i can only find the heart beat in one spot. Can this be the Mother heart beat? The heart beat is kind of far back.

We are just learning how to use this doppler and can use the help....


Thanks

[Linda]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

As long as you're listening in the last 1/3 of your boa, her tail section, it's not the mom you're hearing. The heartbeats would be the babies.

It's not uncommon to only hear them in one spot. Sometimes it means she's only got a few babies in her. Other times, it just means she's got them bunched up. Then it could be that the mom is moving too much to get a clear sound. BTW the slightest movement from the mom could keep you from hearing the babies. Any muscle contractions will also make it more difficult to hear them. The mom has to be "perfectly still" to get the best results.

As long as you're hearing the heartbeats, she's got babies in her. Last year, I had a female with 14 slugs and only 4 babies. I was able to hear the heartbeats in only 2 places. So, it's possible, to hear them even if the litter is very small.

Now that you've verified that she's carrying live babies, it's best not to listen too much/often.

Just give her time and she'll show you what she's got hiding in there.

[stripeboa]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

Thank You Linda
You have been very helpfull. We just have to sit back and wait now

[The_Boaphile]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

Yea, Linda said it all.

[stripeboa]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

Thanks Jeff..

[satyra]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

whats the baby doppler? we have a female that we need to listen too LOL

[Boa Amarali]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

whats the baby doppler? we have a female that we need to listen too LOL

Linda is the authority on Fetal Heart Monitor use on Boas
Linda was the first person to ever use that device on a Boa
to hear baby Boa Heart beats.
Therefore predicting successful healthy baby Boas

Satyra you need to purchase a Doppler fetal heart monitor

I still do not have one , seems to be a very helpful tool !

[Hunglikeafruitbat]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

When I read this thread I thought this was going to be some really expensive piece of equipment, turns out they are surprisingly cheap. I'll have to get one soon, and keep it well hidden (the girlfriend has been getting "that look" on her face whenever we see a baby lately...the horror.....

Mat.

[satyra]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

hmmm i see them from about $32 all the way up to $450+, howq do you know which one to get?

[Linda]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

hmmm i see them from about $32 all the way up to $450+, howq do you know which one to get?

The Dopplers do come in may prices. The better quality ones are normally a little higher in price.

You want to get one that 2 or 3 Mhz. You'll get better sound quality with the 3Mhz. You really don't need to go with the 4Mhz, because it's just "way to expensive". Unless you really want an expensive one

Here's a few examples.

3Mh FDA EARLY DETECTION FETAL HEART DOPPLER MONITOR+GEL - eBay (item 180436277642 end time Dec-22-09 19:22:35 PST)

Sonotrax Fetal Doppler from Stork Radio with LCD - eBay (item 360213325678 end time Dec-30-09 16:30:03 PST)

Sonoline B Fetal heart doppler /Backlight LCD 3mhz FDA - eBay (item 310180193905 end time Dec-07-09 08:39:17 PST)

NEW 2009 Sonotrax 3mhz Fetal Doppler Baby heart monitor - eBay (item 200412658131 end time Dec-10-09 19:11:29 PST)

Contact the sellers "before" you purchase. Make sure they consider you an "authorized purchaser". I've never had a problem purchasing one, but some may not want to sell the the "average person". The last one I got, I told the seller that I wanted to use in on a horse.... LOL. They didn't have a problem with it. I don't know what they would have said if I had told them I wanted it for a snake.

Make sure you use "plenty" of gel and make sure you boas stays "absolutely still".

You should be able to hear heartbeats at 10 weeks after the ovulation.

I've heard them as early as 6 weeks and 1 day after the ovulation, but I've been listening for a few years. I know what to listen for, even if it's "very soft". Also, my boas are used to me using the dopplers and they don't seem to mind as much as they used to.

If it's your first time, you should wait until 10 to 12 weeks after the ovulation. That way, you're more likely to get good sounds.

If you hear them, don't listen again. At least, not until just prior to birth. Maybe about 2 or 3 weeks before the due date. The dopplers are only for verifying "live babies". The heart rates aren't really that accurate, so I just go by the sounds and not the heart rates.

I normally verify live babies and I "might" listen one more time just prior to birth. The sounds just prior to birth are very loud, compared to the early sounds you'll hear. They're still soft wooshing sounds, but much louder than they are at 10 weeks after the ovulation.

I guess that's all for now. I hope you get the doppler you want.

Have fun.

[elizasquid]

Re: Hey Jeff can you help us

that is so cool! I do people ultrasounds and it never occurred to me (although it makes sense) that you could verify pregnancy in a snake with Doppler. Neat!