Still Born

[bkhuff1s]

I'd been waiting on my female to shed hoping to see more babies. Came home from work, and another still born.... I looked at this one a little closer and it looked like it's head had been mushed against something. I was afraid she might be compacted, since the other one was born around a week ago. She still has that obvious bulge so I'm thinking there more to come. Hopefully live ones.

[guidofatherof5]

I had I female(Speckle) this year that passed stillborns for a month after delivering. She was back to eating and acting normal the whole time. If she would have delivered all of them alive she would have had 44 babies. The ones that lived are all doing fine.
It's a shame when some of them don't make it but there's usually a good reason for it.

[bkhuff1s]

Another still born arrived today...

[bkhuff1s]

Any idea on what causes this? Low temps?

[mtolypetsupply]

I was assuming it was dead, because it smelled like it'd been born a day or two ago, which is why I'm confused as to what's going on with her

Sorry for your loss. Didn't know about the aroma. Sorry if I sounded insensitive.

Just for informative purposes, basking light or belly heat? Some have reported differences between the two regarding kinks, still borns, etc.

[bkhuff1s]

belly

[bkhuff1s]

I just want to know what's causing this. Three still borns and about as many jellies

[guidofatherof5]

It could be a lot of factors. Most of which would be out of your control.
These things just happen. I have for many years have been looking for any studies on this phenomenon but as of yet haven't found any.

[bkhuff1s]

Well Steve, I appreciate your input.
It's just frustrating that's all.
It was her first time in all fairness to her. She did grow about 6-8 inches, no lie. She hadn't grown at all in about a year, so I assumed she was ready, I guess I was wrong.

[guidofatherof5]

Well Steve, I appreciate your input.
It's just frustrating that's all.
It was her first time in all fairness to her. She did grow about 6-8 inches, no lie. She hadn't grown at all in about a year, so I assumed she was ready, I guess I was wrong.

With what little is know about first time breeders, what happened may be more of a norm. Kind of like a learning process, developmentally.
It sounds like you are still blaming yourself. I don't think there is anything you could have done to stop this from happening.
Long time breeders had snakes dump all jellies and it was nothing they did to cause the problem. Sometimes things just don't turn out the way we think they should.
Losing my girl Rita this year was a complete shock but not one I could have predicted or prevented. I'm still saddened by the ordeal but don't think it was anything I did. This whole keeping/breeding thing we do comes with risks and a lot of unknowns.