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Taiwan Beauty Possibly Gravid Q's

Posted By:

dark_zero_1_0_1

In Relation To:

molly

i have a taiwan beauty ratsnake that i think may be gravid and need to know how long before i will be able to tell if she is or not and how long before she will lay and how many eggs she will lay and on a side note she has gotten much more agressive since about 2 months after she locked up with my male could this be because she is pregnant(if she is) or something else?


Points:	100
Topics:	Cycling , Egg Laying
Tags:	Behavior, Breeding, Elaphe, Gravid
Species:	Other Colubrids > Ratsnakes > Elaphe taeniura
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Accepted Answer

10/7/2009 5:12:22 AM

amarilrose

Gravid snakes do usually show an aggressive change in behavior. A large majority go off their feed as well, but it is not unheard of for snakes to be wierd and keep eating even if they are gravid.

It's been long enough since I have kept and bred colubrids that I'm very sketchy on the specifics, but I know in Python breeding, you watch for an ovulation, which would be an obvious swelling in about the posterior third of the body (usually looks like a big meal, when most females would not be eating). Sometime soon after that, the snake will go into a shed cycle, which we commonly call a Post Ovulatory Shed (POS). In Ball Pythons, eggs are typically laid about 30 days after the POS. I don't honesty know off the top of my head if you would see a POS in a colubrid, but it is my guess that you would. I bred Eveglades Ratsnakes for some 3 or 4 years running, but at that time, I never knew to watch for ovulation or a POS, so I honestly don't know if it was there to be seen or not. My Everglades Rats had clutches of 20-30 eggs, and at least an 80% hatch rate. I don't know how different Taiwan Beauties may be from that model.

I'm sure somebody with more recent colubrid breeding experience could shed some more light on this for you. Best of luck with Molly! I love Taiwan Beauty snakes!! :)

Assisted Answer

10/7/2009 9:47:52 AM

FyreFocks

I dont know anything about asian rats, but with my limited colubrid experience, it seems to me that once ovulation occurs, there will be a pre-lay shed 2 to 3 weeks later. 2 weeks after the shed, the eggs are laid. If youre really good, you can let the snake crawl over your fingers and you can get a feel for how many eggs are in there, but ive never been able to do it.

Assisted Answer

10/7/2009 10:37:15 AM

JohnJohn

I agree with Nate. If you think she is gravid, just keep your eyes out for signs of shedding because it could be a prelay shed. Be ready for the eggs just in case and check on her daily to look for eggs when that time comes. Sometimes it's hard to predict exactly when the eggs will be laid because you don't always know when they mated or how many times. I find it's easier to predict based on the shed. So just be ready, just in case.

Member Comment

10/7/2009 10:40:29 AM

FyreFocks

It probably wouldnt hurt to put a nest box in there with her just in case. If she is gravid, she will spend most of her time in there up to the day or night of egg laying.

Assisted Answer

10/7/2009 7:44:45 PM

aSnakeLovinBabe

try palpating, if possible, take her out of the cage and whenever she starts to crawl away from you, slide your hand under the middle of her body and allow her to freely slide over your hand, gently pressing upward as she moves. don't squeeze from above at all, just push up with your fingers from beneath as she's moving. You can feel bumps and even can count how many eggs she will lay!

Member Comment

10/7/2009 7:53:35 PM

amarilrose

I have mixed feelings about palpation; what Shannon (ASnakeLovinBabe) described above is the most accurate way to palpate, posing the least risk to the snake or her possible eggs. Its accuracy however is entirely on you and some luck; from my initial post, I think you can understand I also never palpated my Everglades Ratsnakes, but I did palpate my Ball Pythons this year... one of them would never relax her ventral muscles enough for me to get any kind of a promising feel (I thought she would have ONE egg if I was lucky... she laid SIX). Nothing is perfect. Good luck! :)

Member Comment

1/17/2011 8:11:15 AM

abi21491

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