Help! my dekay had babies!

[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]

IMAG1066.jpg
Size of the babies.

[guidofatherof5]

Such tiny little scrubs.