Reveille!

[adamanteus]

I wish I could have got a photo, but 'the business end' has been hidden under foliage the whole time. I knew they were joined by the way they were moving, but couldn't get a good look...... Then she came out and crawled right across the back of the viv..... dragging the poor guy backwards behind her!

[infernalis]

I wish I could have got a photo, but 'the business end' has been hidden under foliage the whole time. I knew they were joined by the way they were moving, but couldn't get a good look...... Then she came out and crawled right across the back of the viv..... dragging the poor guy backwards behind her!

Ouch! How neanderthal....

Good thing Sue didn't see that and get any ideas

[guidofatherof5]

James,

Last year when I discovered our girl "Lucky" breeding I saw something similar. Apparently she was done and wanted him out. She would roll and roll and roll. Poor "Scar" had to match every roll just to save himself.

[adamanteus]

I found my biggest female radix locked with one of the smaller males after work this evening.... which is surprising as I was 99% sure she was already gravid. Sorry, I failed to get the camera out in time.

[Stefan-A]

Better luck this time.

[adamanteus]

'Bertha', my largest female radix is pretty close to parturition now. She's massive posteriorly, and obviously in some discomfort.
The picture doesn't do justice to how heavy she actually is, poor girl can barely move!

[adamanteus]

So it would seem that (in captivity at least) Garters will still copulate when gravid. It was Bertha who was mentioned in the previous post (17th March) in this thread........ no way she got this big in less than a month!

[Stefan-A]

Yeah, one of these days you'll see babies squeezing out from beneath her scales.

[adamanteus]

Last year she gave birth to 18 live young, 3 still born and 7 jellies....... I daren't guess what she might produce this time. Once she's given birth she'll spend a couple of years in an all female environment. I don't want to breed the poor girl to death!

[guidofatherof5]

Bertha looks like she's ready to blow. Keep her away from any sharp objects, James.
I hope she gives you a bunch of healthy radixes. She's beautiful.