Fine young cannibals

[Stefan-A]

This morning, at about 9 AM...

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakes09/babies/numbersix1.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakes09/babies/someofsix1.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakes09/babies/someofsix2.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakes09/babies/someofsix3.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakes09/babies/someofsix4.jpg





Mating occurred 73 days ago, didn't expect them for at least another 2 weeks. The results: 6 healthy babies, 1-2 slugs, 0 stillborn, 0 deformed.

Lengths:
20.6 cm
25.5 cm
23.1 cm
23.6 cm
24.5 cm
24.4 cm

Average length: 23.6 cm. Unfortunately, I didn't have my scale with me.

And here's the footage I got. I managed to catch the birth of the last baby.

YouTube - Babies! (wait for the HD) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVNXJ-53S7A)

[guidofatherof5]

That's great.
Good looking group, Dad.

Very nice video! also.

[drache]

they're lovely - congrats, Stefan
I'd forgotten you were expecting . . .

[count dewclaw]

Awesome! Great video coverage. Congratulations. I like the title of this thread. ;)

[gregmonsta]

Excellent :D congrats.

[MoJo]

Congratulations!

[Stefan-A]

Thank you all very much. :)

[prattypus]

Cute little guys-

[Snaky]

Congrats, Stefan :)
Very nice cannibals.

[Zephyr]

Congrats! I really like that orange-yellow hued one. :)

[dashnu]

I was so into this video I used my coffee cup as an ashtray and wasted a cup of coffee!!

[Sid]

Congratulations, Stefan. Great looking group.

[Stefan-A]

Thanks. :)

[drache]

for some reason I'd missed the video earlier
very cool - thanks

[anji1971]

Oh boy, do I ever have some catching up to do!!:eek::eek:
I didn't even know you were expecting, Stefan!
Congrats, they're lovely little snakelets.:)

[Stefan-A]

Oh boy, do I ever have some catching up to do!!:eek::eek:
I didn't even know you were expecting, Stefan!
Congrats, they're lovely little snakelets.:)
Yeah, I don't think I made a big deal out of it. I posted a couple of videos the day they mated and kept quiet about it until today.

Thanks, by the way. :)

[indigoman]

Thanks for the footage it was great to watch really made my day!

[Snake lover 3-25]

wow what a neat video!!!! AWESOME!!!!:eek::eek:

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

awwwwe, congrats stefan!!!! :D

[ssssnakeluvr]

congrats!!!! nice looking babies!

[Stefan-A]

Thanks. :D

I want to keep so many of them. :D Of course their colours will change as they grow, but that reddish brown one is a bit special in that group and that dark one without the dorsal stripe (third picture) is pretty neat and then there are those light ones with really sharp contrast.. :D Maybe I'll hold three back for now and see how they develop.

Edit: Mom just ate, I'll see if I can get the babies to eat later today.

[Snake lover 3-25]

ha ha cool!!! they're all beautiful! just keep them all!!!!:eek::eek:

[jitami]

Congrats Stefan! Thanks for the video, too. It taught me not to panic when the little one lays still for a few seconds. I swear my heart was beating faster and I already knew he/she ended up being fine.

[Stefan-A]

So far 3 of them have eaten at least once (that I've actually seen). The first two to eat, have now eaten twice.

[Stefan-A]

Everbody's eaten now. :rolleyes:

[count dewclaw]

Yay! That's great to hear.

[guidofatherof5]

That's a big hurdle you've got them over, Stefan.
What are they eating?

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

That's a big hurdle you've got them over, Stefan.
What are they eating?

going by the title of this thread, each other!!! :cool:

[Stefan-A]

That's a big hurdle you've got them over, Stefan.
What are they eating?
Fish and worms so far. Next feeding will include pinkie slices.

No, Shannon. Not each other. :D Not yet anyway.

[Stefan-A]

going by the title of this thread, each other!!! :cool:
Well, they sure tried tonight.

[adamanteus]

How did I miss this thread? Congratulations, Stefan! Beautiful little vagrans.:D

[Stefan-A]

Thank you very much. :D

[drache]

Well, they sure tried tonight.
what happened, Stefan?
did one try to eat the other?
was it a feeding incident?
details please

[Stefan-A]

what happened, Stefan?
did one try to eat the other?
was it a feeding incident?
details please
Yeah, but it wasn't a feeding accident. I heard them thrashing around and of course I knew what was going on. One of them had another one by the neck and wouldn't let go. So dunked them both in the water bowl and the attacker let go. The skin's a little wrinkled, but no permanent damage done, I hope.

So, that's the last time I underestimate their cannibalistic tendencies. The little experiment with housing them in pairs, is officially over. One was hungry and the other one looked like prey.

[guidofatherof5]

Good thing you were there to break it up.

[Stefan-A]

Incredibly lucky.

[count dewclaw]

Glad no major damage was done. I guess the title of the thread is appropriate after all. :rolleyes: Good save!

[Thamnophis]

Those are very beautiful!

[drache]

oh my
that's scary
yup - it's solitary for those kids

[Gijs & Sabine]

Congratulations !! Vagrans babies are soo gorgeous, but they can cause you a headache......as you already found out ;) Lucky nothing serious had happened.

[Stefan-A]

Congratulations !! Vagrans babies are soo gorgeous, but they can cause you a headache......as you already found out ;) Lucky nothing serious had happened.
Thanks. :)

Oh, they just spice things up a bit. :D It was those first two females I got, that made me think it might be possible to house them together. They never caused any trouble. Well, until that incident with the tetrataenia earlier this year. ;)

So far, three garter myths are busted as far as vagrans is concerned: They can't be safely housed with other snakes, they obviously don't care if the other snake is their own size or bigger and they don't care if the other snake is the same species.

[Gijs & Sabine]

Agree with all three ;)
And I think baby vagrans are worse than adults ....

[charles parenteau]

Very very nice babies and your video is awesome!

[Stefan-A]

Thanks. :)