July Ranch babies

[guidofatherof5]

Knew I might have a couple of gravid newcomers but wasn't sure. Well, now I'm sure but between the two females I'm not sure which is having them. They were living together. I've separated them out in the hopes a few more babies will come. I need to know so I can send flowers.
So far 6 healthy little radixes and 4 jellies.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/july_babies.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/july_babies_1.jpg

[adamanteus]

Very nice, Steve.... have a cigar!

[Sputnik]

Aww, so beautiful. I want a baby, errr, I want some babies. :D

[sirtalis01]

congrats steve...i cant wait for mines to drop

[Mommy2many]

Congratulations, Steve! and Kudos to the Moms!

[guidofatherof5]

No more babies from either female. I'm about to call it on my Rosie's side. She's the larger/older of the two. The smaller female musked me when I picked her up. I'm using that as good evidence she's not the one that just gave birth. Not sure if that's a good divining rod to use. I've never had a female musk or defecate right after giving birth. What do you think?:confused:

[gregmonsta]

I'm not sure ... congrats on the babies though :D

[MoJo]

Congratulations!

[Quibble]

I think a new mother would be too exausted to make a fuss, but thats just my assumption. Congrats on the wee squirmies! :D

[count dewclaw]

Congrats for the new little ones!

[drache]

congrats to you and the moms

[Snake lover 3-25]

congrats!!!

[Stefan-A]

Congratulations!

[guidofatherof5]

Their first night is out of the way. I made sure everyone got some water this morning. I still have no concrete clues as to which female is the mother. Both look the same. I don't want anymore jellies but it would tell me which of them gave birth.
Food for the new scrubs is next on the schedule.

[TheArtist]

Aw they are adorable steve!

[guidofatherof5]

He's one of the little scrubs. They seem tiny compared to others born here.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/july_baby.jpg

[ianrambell]

I love baby radix and do you keep all the babies? or release them?

[guidofatherof5]

I love baby radix and do you keep all the babies? or release them?

If they were from females that live in my neighborhood. I would consider a release but otherwise it's a NO. They would stay on the Ranch.

[adamanteus]

How many 'guests' at The Radix Ranch now, Steve?

[guidofatherof5]

How many 'guests' at The Radix Ranch now, Steve?

Well, I won't give exact numbers but let us say it's more than 150 but less than 1000:D

[Mommy2many]

Such a cute baby! Are those 150 + inside your home?

[guidofatherof5]

Such a cute baby! Are those 150 + inside your home?

Why yes, they are. What do you think? not enough:D It's been a slow year.:D

[guidofatherof5]

Haven't you ever seen the movie "Cheaper by the Hundreds"

[Mommy2many]

Sounds like my kinda place...:D

[guidofatherof5]

"Is this Heaven? No, it's the T.radix Ranch" That's a quote from a movie called Field of Dreams. It was about radixes. He's another quote from the movie "If you build it , they will stay":D

[Mommy2many]

You're the Kevin Costner of this heaven, I take it. For you have built it and they have stayed...

I'm so glad to know that so many of our snakes have a happy & safe (and apparantley well fed) ranch to relax at;)

[guidofatherof5]

I said I thought I was going to have to play the guppy card with these babies and I was right. Tonight, I had 4 out of 6 start eating. Those little guppies just couldn't stay in the shallow dish and jumped out. Flopping around only added to their problem. These little babies saw and smelled them and came a running. I'm hoping the other 2 will start soon.
I love watching babies going after their first meal. It's funny watching their bellies shake when the guppies flop around inside of them.

[guidofatherof5]

Here's an update on my 6 new little monsters. 5 of them were eating worm pieces last night. Some even being hand fed. I have one holdout. She went into the food dish and looked interested but that was as far as it went. She's still active and looks good so I'm not concerned. If another week goes by she'll be pulled and a more intense attempt will be made to get her eating.
I had to break up a number of food fights tonight(which is a good thing).
Here's the most aggressive eater after she filled her belly.
"Happiness is a radix with a full belly"
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/full_belly.jpg

[Mommy2many]

She is so adorable!

[guidofatherof5]

Here we go again. They are so cute. All very healthy. I have a feeling I'm going to need more room and worms and pinkies and enclosures and heat pads and...............:D
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/141.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/bath_babies.jpg

I usually find this already detached so when I had an opportunity for a photo I had to take it. They usually scrape this off with the birth sack.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/umbilical_cord.jpg

[gregmonsta]

Wow ... congrats again :D great umbilacle shot.

[guidofatherof5]

Here's another umbilical cord photo.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/umbilical_cord_1.jpg

[ianrambell]

vERY CooL nice little radix

[guidofatherof5]

I was surprized to find 2 dead babies this morning. All were doing well last night. The one that is curled up might have be anencephalic(born w/o a brain and some spinal cord) but it appears not in the normal sense of the birth defect in that the skull and skin did develope. I may do a dissection to confirm this. Now I'm on alert for the others. The mother was a small female and this may have been her first group of babies. Too be honest I was shocked be the number of babies that she had. I will post a picture of the mom later.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/death.jpg

[Mommy2many]

Sorry to hear about the two babies. Hope the rest are well.

[guidofatherof5]

The babies just keep coming. Yesterday 10 radixes, today 13. I help deliver this little one. The mother was having trouble, she seem exhausted. Either that or the little one refused to come out. I guess after seeing my face she was terrified.:D I gave a little pull and out came this beauty. 3 minutes old in the photo. I gave her a warm bath and her first shed was done. The mother was another of the rescue snakes. It will mean more work here at the Ranch but knowing these babies and the mother survived is a good thing.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/3_minutes_old.jpg

[Mommy2many]

What a great Dr./Midwife you are!!!:D

Poor Mom, too tired to push and you helped with that little one. She is adorable. Perhaps you should reserve a special name for her, such as "Finita"

Hope Mom, baby and you are all doing well.
Best wishes.;)

[k2l3d4]

Steve... I got to send Kudos your way... I have no clue how you manage to do all that you do for those whom reside and visit the Ranch.

[guidofatherof5]

I know it's Aug. but I didn't want to start a new thread.
Found 12 newborn radixes this morning. I didn't expect these from this mom. She was a rescue placed on my doorstep. I'll post a photo later.

[guidofatherof5]

The baby radixes just keep coming. As I type another rescued mom is delivering. When I saw her this afternoon I notices the babies had dropped low and she was out of the hide with a kind of lost look. I rubbed her belly and told her today was the day. I've never had one deliver this fast before. They just keep coming. They are all beautiful.
While Gabby and I were helping her I moved the hide and found 3 more babies. One looked stillborn(on it's back, mouth open and lifeless). I grabbed it and handed it to Gabby. I told her to move it around, talk to it and rub its back and belly. Gabby worked her magic and within a couple of minutes she had it breathing and moving. This mother has a lot. The sad news is the last 5 died shortly after birth. I tried to get some air in them but they passed. Gabby is in tears everytime she hands me one of these poor little ones. I playing tough with Gabby but inside I'm losing it. Such a loss of life. I know, focus on the ones that lived. My problem is I want everyone of them to live.
It looks like the lost number may drop by one. My Hailee(age 8) has been working with one and it looks like it's going to make it.:)
Great news, we saved 2 more of them.
Here are some photos(these lived)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ne_baby2.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ne_baby.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ne_baby1.jpg

[gregmonsta]

Wow :) what a team effort. Congrats to team radix :D

[guidofatherof5]

The total was 27, with only 2 losses. My two girls, Hailee and Gabby were miracle workers. I thought we'd lose 5 but they worked and worked to save those little ones. A lot of stimulation(rubbing, bending, prayers). I am so proud of my girls.
I have 6 separated out from the large group, kind of a ICU. This group is questionable until they get a few meals down.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/27.jpg

[count dewclaw]

Congrats!!:)

[guidofatherof5]

Crazy times here. 12 more radixes born and 14 Dekayi.

[guidofatherof5]

The last 24 hours have seen 33 more radixes born here on the Ranch. All very healthy and looking good. This last group of 6 will get a warm bath, finish their sheds and be put to bed. Looks like I'll be buying worms off the internet for this Winter. No way I can catch enough worms to get me through until Spring. This will be the largest group of radixes ever on the Ranch. It seems like all the rescues done this years have been gravid females. These are some very nice snakes. It would have been a shame to see these Mothers killed along with the offspring. I don't want to imagine all the ones that were killed this year.


I do know I won't be bored this Winter.

[mustang]

The baby radixes just keep coming. As I type another rescued mom is delivering. When I saw her this afternoon I notices the babies had dropped low and she was out of the hide with a kind of lost look. I rubbed her belly and told her today was the day. I've never had one deliver this fast before. They just keep coming. They are all beautiful.
While Gabby and I were helping her I moved the hide and found 3 more babies. One looked stillborn(on it's back, mouth open and lifeless). I grabbed it and handed it to Gabby. I told her to move it around, talk to it and rub its back and belly. Gabby worked her magic and within a couple of minutes she had it breathing and moving. This mother has a lot. The sad news is the last 5 died shortly after birth. I tried to get some air in them but they passed. Gabby is in tears everytime she hands me one of these poor little ones. I playing tough with Gabby but inside I'm losing it. Such a loss of life. I know, focus on the ones that lived. My problem is I want everyone of them to live.
It looks like the lost number may drop by one. My Hailee(age 8) has been working with one and it looks like it's going to make it.:)
Great news, we saved 2 more of them.
Here are some photos(these lived)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ne_baby2.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ne_baby.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ne_baby1.jpg
did u break em out?

[guidofatherof5]

did u break em out?

Yes. Most of the time they break out by themselves when we pick them up. We like seeing them take that first breath.

[guidofatherof5]

It looks like the birthing room of the Ranch can be shutdown for the season. We had more babies born this season than any other year. The only rescues done were from word-of-mouth contacts. It would be impossible for me to care for the amount of adults and babies if I advertised the fact I would remove Garter snakes from peoples yards. We have a lot of radixes in this town.

[gregmonsta]

You're doing a fantastic job with them mate :D long may it continue!