about gravid garter snake

[houchen]

I have two female checkerd garter snakes,I think they are pregnant becouse they ate ferociously at the beginning and now they are plump and refuse to eat anything.I just wonder when they stop eating how much time left until they give birth.

[guidofatherof5]

It could be anytime now. My radixes usually give birth within a day or so after they stop eating. Some eat the day they gave birth and one ate while giving birth.:D
Not sure about Checkereds.
Best of luck.

[houchen]

that's interesting ..i'll wait.

[Mommy2many]

You've got no choice:D

[ConcinusMan]

When they stop eating, when they shed, etc., you cannot determine when a snake will give birth based on those things. Snakes will do those things even when they are not gravid.

If you see them mating, then you can guess 70-100 days later, the babies will be born. If you don't know when they mated, then it is difficult to know when they are going to give birth. You have to know the date of the mating, and even then, you can't know the exact day, or even what week the babies will come. Gestation period varies.

[Stefan-A]

If you see them mating, then you can guess 70-100 days later, the babies will be born. If you don't know when they mated, then it is difficult to know when they are going to give birth. You have to know the date of the mating, and even then, you can't know the exact day, or even what week the babies will come. Gestation period varies.
My snakes mated on December 23, 2009. When will she give birth? ;)

[ConcinusMan]

Which snakes?

And I did say "guess";)

[HazAnga]

So there's no deff signs that they show that there ready to pop?

[guidofatherof5]

I've found females getting ready to give birth will wander the enclosure.
They have a difficult time staying in one place.
Most of mine will not eat when offered food.
They appear nervous.
Just what I've observed;)

[ConcinusMan]

Ditto. Also, immediately before the birthing (a few hours to a few days prior) the bulk of the load they are carrying usually drops southward toward the vent. A noticeable shift occurs. This may, or may not be accompanied by restlessness.

[HazAnga]

Ok, I'll be sure to keep my eye for that. I want to put her in a smaller tank for giving birth in, so i don't have to tear the tank apart looking for babies this year

[ConcinusMan]

If you see any signs it's also a good idea to remove the water dish and just offer her a drink once or twice a day. This will prevent her from possibly dropping babies in the water where they could drown. I also place a small cardboard box hide in the birthing enclosure and line it with moist paper towels and/or moss. Females will often choose this spot to have their babies.

[HazAnga]

Sounds good, I got a little 5 gal that will work for that.

[ConcinusMan]

That's not quite what I meant. You do need to leave plenty of room for mom to move around as she drops babies, and room for the babies to get out of her way once they emerge from their membranes. Seems that if you confine her to a small enclosure you could end up with trampled babies. Give her plenty of room, but create several microclimates. Several hides at different temperature ranges, some moist, some dry. A large, dark warm hide with a moist bottom is usually preferred by my females but there should be enough room in the enclosure for the babies to scatter and keep from being smooshed by mom.

[HazAnga]

Hmm... I'll have to rethink that one over.

[HazAnga]

I'm sorry for kinda hijacking your thread houchen, but some of these questions and answers might help you out too.
my female that I know 100% is gravid has been hanging out under the ceramic heater the past 3-4 days, is that also a sign? The other female will have a tendency to lay with her as well. They were cute last night sorta curled up together :)

[kibakiba]

She's just cooking the babies til their well done! :D
Mama does that, too. She will only stay near the lamp and likes snoozing on top of Snakey... Poor guy, she's almost 4 times his size now. ;)

[Mommy2many]

Squished snake...

[HazAnga]

lol ahh ok, she still eats like a pig though... I don't think she'll ever not eat... it's hard imagining it.

[kibakiba]

That's how Mama is, only she's been rejecting food more often. She usually eats 1 fuzzy and a few worms but this week she rejected the fuzzy and ate Snakey's pinky instead and rejected everything else.

[HazAnga]

well Helga shed today, so we'll see how long it takes her to pop those babies out :)

[ConcinusMan]

They'll come out as soon as they are ready. Of that you can be sure.