The tetrataenia-female "exploded"...

[Thamnophis]

Finally my T. s. tetrataenia female has given birth.
Unfortunately is was at work when she started to deliver, so I was not able to make pics of the birth itself.

The litter contained 22 living, perfect young with an average weight of 3 grams. For this subspecies this is quite much.

There also was a two-headed young born which was not able to release itself from the birth-membrane. It was dead when I found it; if it had been alive I would have killed it myself. One of the heads had no lower jaw and the body of the animal was deformed to. I will put the young "freak" in alcohol.

Of course i made some pictures after birth...



http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_01.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_02.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_03.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_04.jpg

[Thamnophis]

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_05.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_06.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_07.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_08.jpg

[Stefan-A]

Congratulations! The healthy ones look good. :)

[Snaky]

Like already said on the Dutch forum, congratulations! :)
That's a big clutch and they look very nice.

I would've probably done the same with the 2-headed snake. It's very strange to see them and interesting to keep in alcohol.

[drache]

congrats, Fons
a nice litter of good looking babies
that two-headed one is weird - poor baby

[guidofatherof5]

None of the pictures show on my end. X appears where a photo should be. I would love to see them. Not sure of the problem.

[gregmonsta]

Beautiful :D congrats!

[prattypus]

So, the jealousy increases- Those are some bright little guys. It's a shame about the two headed baby- but it's fascinating none the less.

[bkhuff1s]

That's unfortunate about the two headed one...

[Calift]

That 2 headed snake is crazy....too bad it didn't live.


But the other ones are just stunning!! Big congrats!!

[guidofatherof5]

Maybe it's best I can't see the photos. It would only make more envious:D

[adamanteus]

Congratulations, Fons. Big babies!

[ssssnakeluvr]

Congrats!!!! those are freakin beautiful!!!! sorry about the 2 headed one, I would have put that one down too....if the 2nd head would have a jaw, I might have tried to give it a chance

[Didymus20X6]

Maybe it's best I can't see the photos. It would only make more envious:D
Probably not of the two-headed one. That was sad.

[Thamnophis]

Thanks all.

I do not understand why you cannot see the pics. Must be a problem at your end.

[Snake lover 3-25]

wow congrats!!! to bad about the deformed one... although it is pretty neat...

[Thamnophis]

Here are a few new pics of the juveniles... It seems that most of them started to eat.

First three are the T. fulvus and last three T. s. tetrataenia.

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/Thamnophis_fulvus_26_06_2009_05.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/Thamnophis_fulvus_26_06_2009_06.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/Thamnophis_fulvus_26_06_2009_07.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_09.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_10.jpg

http://www.kousebandslangen.nl/tetrataenia_2009_11.jpg

[count dewclaw]

Beautiful babies! Glad to hear they are eating.

[Mike Spencer]

There's no way the 2 headed baby would have lived with the heads in that position. I'm glad you preserved and held on to it though. I was just wondering if 2 headed Thams existed too. I've seen a few different 2 headed snakes from egg laying adults, but I wasn't sure if it could happen with live born. Guess you answered that question.

[gregmonsta]

They're coming along nicely :D .... Love those T.fulvus ;)

[GarterGeek]

Beautiful snakes and nice photography! I'm going through about six different layers of jealousy. :)