Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

[lexiilish]

I bought my new female boa November 16th. Was told she's about 5 years old which would make her a 2009. She was infested with mites (couldn't see them till she drown some in her water at home) she's been mite free since the end of November. I saw her at 2 different shows, one in October (was in a tank with 2 males and a dumerils female. Second was here in Ohio and she was in a very small tub with a male. Being their breeding season copulation could have easily taken place without anyone knowing, not to mention he dodged my question of whether she was kept with a male at home or not when I called to tell him to check his other snakes. I tried to get the most basic info a seller should have. When did she eat last? When was her last BM? When was her last shed? Couldn't tell me anything because he "doesn't keep charts on animals he sells". Who doesn't keep charts?! But anyways, she refused to eat for two weeks, then took a large rat, which is actually too small for her. She then took a small rabbit on the 19th because the people I was getting rats from didn't have any big enough and wasn't going to stuff her with 3. before she ate the first time she was looking very swollen, from only 3/4ths her body down. She like thins out then swells again. Was kinda worried about constipation. But she had a BM on the 26th (first one here). If I can't tell by February she's going for an x-ray. I'll attach a few photos.
December 10th



December 20th after she ate the rabbit late around 9 pm on the 19th.


Where she looks bigger than when she ate the rabbit 3-4 days later with a noticeable swell higher up and where the rabbit sits both indicated with arrows.



A couple days after the photo with arrows (no swelling at all)



Taken yesterday I believe noticed more swelling..



And yes she has a plastic cage, I just need heat tape and a stat, this is only a quarantine tank.

[lexiilish]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Also she shed on the 13th, no idea if it could have been a normal shed or a POS.

[weird_science04]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

The best course of action would be to take the feeding down for about 4 months. You could always take her to the vet in a couple months for an ultrasound also. Unfortunately, there is no way to truly know if she is in fact gravid right now. I would feed much smaller prey and less frequently. It won't hurt to be safe.

[lexiilish]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

She took a large rat last night and it's obviously too small. I've never had a gravid snake before and I know they love to throw monkey wrenches into the mix. I've even seen some people say they didn't even know the female was gravid. So in february if I have the funds I'm taking her for an xray. I figured since she had a BM and I'm not worried about constipation anymore I'd just let it go for a while and see. The fluctuations in girth are what's confusing me.

[Jrock23]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Even tho you think that a large rat is too small, it would be a good ideal to stick with the large rat meal for a few months. Maybe there will be a change, if any.. Although it maybe too soon to feed rabbits. I would try jumbo rats before continue feeding rabbits. Sometimes rabbits can cause difficulties down the line. But you should make a vet appointment to be sure your boa is ok. Very beautiful boa, i hope everything is ok, one more thing to add. Keep in mind that boas are different from pythons. Your issues can also be caused by aggressive feeding (meaning boa stomach or belly is more sensitive then most pythons or pythons in general).

[lexiilish]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

She was only eating large rats every two weeks before I got her, she ate a large rat on the 30th of november then December 19th she took the small rabbit. The rabbit is fine, it didn't leave a huge lump. I feed for noticeable lumps in all my boas, not huge lumps but to where you can look at them and tell they ate. They are always gone by the next day. And obviously she thought the rabbit wasn't enough since she snatched that rat out of my hand quicker than I've ever seen lol but if I can in Feb she's going to my vet, it just worries me because I live in ohio, it's winter, and my vet is an hour away. So add the hour drive, the visit itself, and an hour home. If she's gravid I don't want her temps falling too low too long.

[weird_science04]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Gravid females need to eat a much smaller prey or they can accidentally give birth to unformed babies. My female eats super jumbo rats and while gravid, I feed her medium rats. Her whole head fits on the rat but it won't push any babies out.

Star

[Jrock23]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Yea i know its cold outside, i live in Chicago so i know its cold in Ohio LOL.. Try putting her in a tub with a lid, but inside the tub put a little bit of wet moss inside with of course paper towel. Then get your winter coat and wrap it around the tub. Make sure you heat in your car is at its highest. It could be safer that way but i don`t know, its just an ideal so that you can have a safe travel without any problems..

[Morgans Boas]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Most gravid Boas will hardly strike at food. If they do strike, it is usually a weak strike, with little to no constricting.Many of my gravid Boas won't strike, and will wait until I'm gone . Come back later to find the meal gone . My gravid Boas (that usually eat Jumbo rats/sm rabbits) get fed one med/lg rat every 3 weeks while gravid.

[weird_science04]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Julliette hunted while gravid for both litters. While I have heard what [MENTION=9045]Morgans Boas[/MENTION] has said from many breeders, this is not 100% foolproof. Julliette not only strikes hard while gravid, she comes to the glass and waits for the food when I bring the food into the snake room. She also will roam her cage if I don't feed her. Very crazy but it is just the way she is. Now Dahlia, doesn't strike her food while not gravid and while gravid, she wouldn't either; however, she did eat. I feed the same regime though for gravid boas.

Star

[lexiilish]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Yea like I said I have no idea, I'm hoping she's not in a way because I would have no idea what the father was, she's supposed to be het albino but can't put that to the test till at least next season IF my male decides he's ready. But yes most females won't eat during pregnancy but others will and some of them with vigor. It all depends on the snake in all honesty. Was just trying to get opinions on her fluctuating girth not really the feeding aspect.. a few days after she ate the small rabbit she should have been back to normal girth as she didn't even have a huge lump, it was an appropriate sized meal for her and left a visible but not huge lump. She was temping steady at 87-90 for like 2 weeks now every time I temp her she's around 84. So if she is gravid she's definitely trying to make it hard on me lol

[Afterman]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Hi everyone

I'm new to this forum and trying to learn as much as I can about boas.
What is the best substrate for a gravid girl?

[lexiilish]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

I only use paper towel. After having a bad experience with an iguana getting mites from bedding, and how hard it was to clean, sanitize, and expensive it got I just started using paper towels. It's easy to clean up, cheap, and you will catch mites almost instantly since you can see them on the all white paper, and monitor poops to make sure they are normal.

[Morgans Boas]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

I brought up the feeding aspect because you mentioned that she ravaged her meal . That's not normal for a gravid Boa (but there's exceptions) . They have a couple of unique positions that they often lay in as well (exceptions to that rule too). I usually look for different behaviors like these to help confirm them being gravid .

As far as using paper towels as substrate -- I've experienced , and seen threads of Boas eating paper towels if their meal has been in contact with it, leaving the smell - or the paper towel getting stuck to the meal. In my case , the Boa regurged it (too big for the small Boa), and it was fine. I've heard of others dying from it. Some people will place a section of plastic or cardboard in the cage for the meal, or switch substrates . Feeding in another (feed tub), is not the answer . I buy rolls of paper for my cages, and cut to fit.

[thecasualchemist]

Re: Having difficulty telling if she's gravid.

Feeding in another (feed tub), is not the answer . I buy rolls of paper for my cages, and cut to fit.

^^I second this, and not just for gravid boas.

Paper is definitely the way to go if you can maintain proper humidity without substrate like aspen or cypress. It makes cleanup exponentially easier, even though it forces you to clean the entire cage every time the animal living in it has a BM (as opposed to spot cleaning with a mulch-type bedding.) I was a bit of a clean freak to begin with, but since switching to paper I feel like my enclosures/tubs are even tidier.

One thing I heard of breeders doing while their animals are gravid/ovulating and can't be moved is to cut the paper lining the tub in half. That way, you can replace one half of it while the animal is on the warm side, wait until she moves, and replace the other half rather than leaving a single piece of dirty paper in the cage.