Help! my dekay had babies!

[Boston Mindy]

Ok, so, I caught a Dekay's in my back yard April 25th. We were unsure of the gender until this morning, when she surprised us with 15 little babies. When I caught her, I got all my info on here, so I'm hoping someone can give me an idea of what to do with the little ones. I took them out of momma's tank (i heard she might eat them?) and put them in a tupperware with a moist paper towel, to make sure they stay hydrated until I find out what else I'm supposed to do. Ideally I would like to keep one or 2 in addition to momma, and release the rest once they are eating. But if it comes down to it, I do have the resources to keep them. Help!62066207

[guidofatherof5]

They(baby dekayi) can be difficult to to get eating.

Cut up night crawlers, slugs and snail are a favorite food of baby Browns.

[Boston Mindy]

I've read that a lot of snakes won't eat until after their first shed (2ish weeks after birth) any idea if browns are like that? I've got some teeny tiny baby slugs and a few tiny baby snails in the container with them, just in case they want to go for them, but at the moment, the snakes don't seem interested in them, and are more focused on checking out their new surroundings.

[thamneil]

Don't worry about feeding babies that you intend to release. They will figure it out in the wild. As long as they are released into suitable habitat they will adjust just fine.

The babies that you do plan to keep should show interest in slugs or worms. Good luck!

[snake man]

Good luck with all those babies!

[kibakiba]

If you do release them, put them where you found the mom.

[Boston Mindy]

There are several baby snails and slugs in the container with them, I wanted to encourage them to be willing to "hunt" so whichever ones I release don't end up dying because they're expecting "prepared" foods. I have no idea how soon I should expect them to eat or anything tho. Chara (the momma) adapted really well to captivity, and I even have her still on live food. But since we caught her fully grown (almost 18 inches!) I have no experience with neonates.

[guidofatherof5]

Wayne(infernalis) is our resident S.dekayi expert. I'm sure he will chime in here at some point.

[Boston Mindy]

Hopefully when Wayne comes around he can also answer this... I read that many snakes often won't feed until after their first shedding, a week or 2 in, and I'm curious if dekay's are like that. If so, should I remove the little slugs and snails from the container until that happens?

[guidofatherof5]

I believe they should shed immediately after birth. Their first shed looks and feels like ash rather then the feel of a normal shed.
Putting them in a warm bath with a hand towel or some paper towel will insure that shed is removed.

[Boston Mindy]

Good to know! If that's the case, I believe most of them have already done it. When I first moved them from the mother's tank, most of them seemed as if they were unaware and sluggish, and they looked a little... Foggy... But since putting them in with the moist towel, most of their skins seem brighter, but more than that, they almost all seem aware of their surroundings now, and have been exploring. They also mostly perk up and look at me when I peek in at them.

[guidofatherof5]

I've seen that kind of response from little ones. It's a big thing to break out of the egg sack and take that first breath.
Many times they are exhausted by that time and need some rest.
It's good that you are observing this kind behaviors.

[Boston Mindy]

As of this morning, they are all very alert and adventurous. I cant get over just how tiny they are! I'm a little tempted to keep all of them, cuz they're just so cute! (i have a 45 gallon fish tank currently not in use) but I think that would be just a little too much work for me.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I love baby Dekay snakes they are so cute. The only problem i ever had with baby dekay snakes is finding worms small enough all the ones i had would not eat nightcrawler pieces they wanted small live earthworms. I would offer food and if you get a few to eat that's the ones i would keep and turn the rest go where you caught the mother. Make sure you don't wait to long and let the little ones get too weak before releasing.

[infernalis]

I've read that a lot of snakes won't eat until after their first shed (2ish weeks after birth) any idea if browns are like that? I've got some teeny tiny baby slugs and a few tiny baby snails in the container with them, just in case they want to go for them, but at the moment, the snakes don't seem interested in them, and are more focused on checking out their new surroundings.

Baby Dekayi will begin eating tiny slugs right away. Whole baby night crawlers are also readily taken, you have to go out and flip rocks and logs to find them.

When you do release find a shady damp area, they will do best away from open dry areas where their natural prey will be scarce.

Lots of cover, cool temps and abundant food are your best chance for them.

[Boston Mindy]

Wayne, I've heard the mother might eat them. Is this valid? If so, at what point is it safe to put the ones I keep back in the tank with her?

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Dekay snakes are not known to be cannibalistic the only way she would eat her babies is if she picked up a scent of a worm or slug and thought the babies were worms or slugs by the scent so you would have to seperate to feed and clean the babies so they didn't have any worm scent left on them. I would be worried that she could injure them because she is so much bigger.

[EasternGirl]

My eastern garter had babies and I took the babies out right away. They live in a separate tank now. They shed right away and began eating about a week later. Good luck with the babies and keep us posted on their progress. If you don't want to keep all of them...maybe you could find some members on here that would want to take some. Babies are so cute! I can only imagine how small those Dekayi's are because my easterns were tiny!

[Boston Mindy]

6244
Size of the babies.

[guidofatherof5]

Such tiny little scrubs.

[EasternGirl]

OMG! They are even tinier than my easterns when they were born...which is to be expected with Dekayis...but my easterns were so tiny...I had no idea the Dekayi babies would be so darn cute!!

[kibakiba]

My babies were almost that small.Northwesterns are teeny little things though. Dekays take the cake for tiny babies though. :D

[Boston Mindy]

I know right?!? I still can't get over it. I'm having a really hard time making the worms small enough for them to eat. Because even tho their mouths are big enough, the body isn't wide enough for them to get it down! It's actually a little funny to watch. At least I know they're willing to eat. That's more than I was expecting. I've decided to keep the first five that eat or attempt to, and let the rest go in the next couple days. That way I have a couple extras in case something bad happens. And if not, I will give away the extra 3 to friends or whatnot.

[guidofatherof5]

A good sharp pair of scissors should be able to cut the chunks small enough for the babies to handle.

[Boston Mindy]

Thanks Steve, its been more of an issue of trial and error. Every time I think I've got them small enough, I discover that they're still a little big to handle. I think I've finally got them down to a manageable size now. just gotta wait for one to attempt eating it to find out for sure.

[Selkielass]

Awwwww... so cute!

Baby Butlerii are close to that size. I dug worms in my garden and fed them the tiniest, cut up t9 reuduce tug-o-wars.

[Boston Mindy]

Came home to find 3 more full bellies. :) so I added them to my keepers, and just released 10 of the 16. Bittersweet moment. :( but I'm glad they will have a chance at thriving in the wild. And by wild, I mean in the brush next to my yard... Was only going to keep 5, but couldn't choose between the good eaters.
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10 right before release... :(
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My remaining 6... A cute little group. :)

[Boston Mindy]

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10 right before release... :(

[Boston Mindy]

Dang, the first pic won't show... But if you click the link, it should...

[ProXimuS]

Nope....Doesn't work. At least not on this end. Nice other pic though:D

From afar they almost remind me of little ringnecks!

[Boston Mindy]

6260
the 10, Right before release...

[Boston Mindy]

Yes! Success!

[guidofatherof5]

You did good.;)

[Invisible Snake]

6260 the 10, Right before release... Is that a 12oz or 16oz cup they're in? They are tiny!

[Boston Mindy]

16 oz. "beer cup" they didn't even cover the bottom when they spread out.