No better way to greet the new year.

[Jmugleston]

Mom just after dropping her babies.

She's happy to see me!

A mess. I'm reminded why I like egg layers so much better.

And after a quick bath:

 

[pitbulllady]

Nice litter of Argentines! Is that baby in the upper center of the photo an albino, or what? Looks really odd-colored compared to the others, but maybe it's just the light reflecting off the birth membranes.

LOL, a lot of newbie Boa breeders are always shocked at how their sweet girl's attitude can change when she has babies; I know *I* sure was with my first litter! I wasn't prepared for the sow grizzly with no legs that greeted me when I went to pick up the first young'un! The mess I can handle-no worse than whelping a litter of large-breed puppies, but dealing with the mother can be rather trying, to say the least.

pitbulllady

 

[Matt K]

Too cool. Reminds me though of the woman who lost a huge "3 foot" one in the NY subway last week or so and had so many scared. How can ya be scared of something so neat-o ?!

# Maybe that light one is (hypo?) or something...??

 

[Jmugleston]

Nice litter of Argentines! Is that baby in the upper center of the photo an albino, or what? Looks really odd-colored compared to the others, but maybe it's just the light reflecting off the birth membranes.

LOL, a lot of newbie Boa breeders are always shocked at how their sweet girl's attitude can change when she has babies; I know *I* sure was with my first litter! I wasn't prepared for the sow grizzly with no legs that greeted me when I went to pick up the first young'un! The mess I can handle-no worse than whelping a litter of large-breed puppies, but dealing with the mother can be rather trying, to say the least.

pitbulllady

I think that is an artifact of the flash combined with the amniotic goop. They're all pretty normal in this litter. One lacks the typical pink coloration, but I figure she'll lighten up after a shed or so. This mom was a relative breeze to handle. As grumpy as boas get they're no match for some of the other protective mothers. One or our retics is about to drop her clutch. She'll be a different story. The boa can be moved with a hook. The retic outweighs me. Hopefully I catch her as she's laying this year so I don't have to wrestle her in order to get at her eggs.

 

[pitbulllady]

I think that is an artifact of the flash combined with the amniotic goop. They're all pretty normal in this litter. One lacks the typical pink coloration, but I figure she'll lighten up after a shed or so. This mom was a relative breeze to handle. As grumpy as boas get they're no match for some of the other protective mothers. One or our retics is about to drop her clutch. She'll be a different story. The boa can be moved with a hook. The retic outweighs me. Hopefully I catch her as she's laying this year so I don't have to wrestle her in order to get at her eggs.

Yeah, I've had to deal with big momma Burms, so I know what you mean! The problem with those protective egg-layers, aside from them trying to rip your face off, is that they can damage the eggs, especially if the eggs have already been in position for 24 hours or more and come loose from the pile and roll around, because it will kill the developing embryos. You have to guard yourself AND the eggs at the same time. I learned really quick that this is a two-person job! My female Retic that I bred wasn't nearly so bad as the Burm; I could actually reach in and touch her while she was around her eggs and all she would do is huddle around them closer. I actually decided to let her take care of the incubation, although not as many eggs hatched that way as in the electric incubator.

pitbulllady

 

[Jmugleston]

Yeah, I've had to deal with big momma Burms, so I know what you mean! The problem with those protective egg-layers, aside from them trying to rip your face off, is that they can damage the eggs, especially if the eggs have already been in position for 24 hours or more and come loose from the pile and roll around, because it will kill the developing embryos. You have to guard yourself AND the eggs at the same time. I learned really quick that this is a two-person job! My female Retic that I bred wasn't nearly so bad as the Burm; I could actually reach in and touch her while she was around her eggs and all she would do is huddle around them closer. I actually decided to let her take care of the incubation, although not as many eggs hatched that way as in the electric incubator.

pitbulllady

Yeah. Due to some of the pairings I'm going to be taking the eggs from our girls this go around. Our biggest girl isn't too bad, but typically she's caught in the middle of laying so you just sit there and grab them as she drops them. By the time she snaps out of it the eggs are already gone. Her daughters should lay for the first time this year so who knows how they'll react. Our WC dwarf female is a beast when she's not gravid. I'm expecting her to try and remove my face when I pull her eggs unless I'm lucky enough to be there as they're dropping.

 

[JColt]

Argentine and Dumerils are my favorite boa's. Thanks for posting

 

[Lucas339]

congrats!! you have quite the collection!

oh if they weren't so tempermental!!!