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Behaviour Patterns of Gravid Snakes: |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416  View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 29 Jun 2006 When I kept captive snakes I learnt about the behaviour patterns of gravid females. For example : Female burmese pythons will stop feeding untill the eggs have hatched . They will also go into slough about two weeks just before the neonates emerge , and often be seen basking laying on their sides while still carrying the eggs. So what about natrix, berus and austriaca? Do the females still feed when gravid , and do they have a pre-birth or egg laying moult? Has anyone observed odd basking positions of gravid females? Many thanks in advance, Al O-> O+> |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 30 Jun 2006 Hmmm, no thoughts on this folks? Anyone seen our native snakes feeding when gravid or with a meal in the tum? Al  O-> O+> |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 30 Jun 2006 Hi Al, me thinks we need Tony or Dave Bird, where are they when you need the eh? I seem to remember Tony has said berus do not feed when gravid but natrix do, I'll leave it to him to confirm As to odd basking positions, I've noticed berus will take up distinct postures when gravid, damned if I could describe it though without a piccy. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 30 Jun 2006 Hi - I'm right here  Sorry guy, twas my birthday on the 28th, twas the big one, am officiall a pensioner now  things were a bit vague yesterday, some buddies took me jolling.
Anyway - gravid adders. You have probably read in some books that gravid adders will sometimes 'snack' on a passing lizard; but this may be, but still anecdotal. I don't think adult adders scoff lizards anyway, or very very rarely. I refer to a typical '9 vole summer' about the av. annual intake of an adult. Although I would not know if a female had scoffed a lizard I have never otherwise recorded a gravid female feeding. Also, those that give birth in late August can tag a couple of voles/mice before end of season. Basking positions? The adder, gravid or not, postures in response to weather. Though, when near term some I have seen lying full stretch, but not enough times to be conclusive. 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 30 Jun 2006 Hi Gemma and Tony , and a very happy belated birthday to you Tony!
Thanks alot for the replies. Any Ideas on gravid smooth snakes? Cheers, Al O-> O+> |
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Timo Member Joined: 20 Nov 2005 No. of posts: 13 View other posts by Timo |
Posted: 01 Jul 2006 Example in
my collection I have been seen when pythons and boas are upside down and grill
their ventrals but Vipera berus or Coronella austriaca, I never seen that kind
of basking or with another vipers, even I have many different viper-species. Gravid adder
females in nature basking a lot and they do not move if their have a good place
even raining. A few days ago I again went to the area, +16 C and in rainy weather;
one gravid female was still a few hours in a same place or moving a little.
Then weather got better and female stay there. Adders sometimes moving +15 C
even raining in In
captivity, I have European and Russian V.berus and C.austriaca from different locality, their
mostly don't eat when gravid but some specimens eating early stage of gravidity.
V.berus has been eaten voles in early stage, but very small ones. As well as some
Coronella but I need to work longer with them and in outside terrarium. Usually
in captivity, hobbyists terrarium room or even in Zoo room, have higher temperatures in terrarium than in nature, their then consume their
fat store(higher metabolism) and because usually females using their fat store
from previous year, maybe that's why their need to eat when gravid in captive. Luckily,
I have possibility in my private collection keep northern population in colder
room, almost like outside, and long hibernation; specimens don't breed every
year in my collection. I don't believe that in nature female normally doesn't
need to eat when those are gravid. Specimens of southern population, from I can work
with CB C.austriaca in captivity with permission, scientific purpose. V.berus doesn't
need special permissions, actually anything in Yes, happy
birthday! Timo
Paasikunnas |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 02 Jul 2006 Thanks for the info Timo! Much appreciated. Any chance of a pic of the russian berus? Cheers, Al O-> O+> |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200  View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 02 Jul 2006 Yea Picture would be great. Did you say you had a picture of the Russian c.Austiaca if so could i have a close up photo of the rostral scale area. Thanks MR O'Shea Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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Jeroen Senior Member Joined: 03 Nov 2004 No. of posts: 121  View other posts by Jeroen |
Posted: 03 Jul 2006 To confirm what's been said, gravid females of berus in Flanders (Belgium) are known to eat when gravid but only very rarely. Jeroen Speybroeck http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/ |
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Timo Member Joined: 20 Nov 2005 No. of posts: 13 View other posts by Timo |
Posted: 03 Jul 2006 Of course, I can add some photos about snakes in here, soon. I think best place is European reptiles? I have been kept a years of Russian and another locality of V.berus and C.austriaca so that should be easy to show some photos. Timo |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200 View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 03 Jul 2006 Hello Timo Try to include some head on pictures of the rostral scale Thanks Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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Robert V Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 No. of posts: 717 View other posts by Robert V |
Posted: 04 Jul 2006 Alan, I've twice known Natrix to eat while gravid and showing, so on both occasions it must have been well into the gestation period. I havent got photos but thats a little tricky and requires a heap of luck. Cheers Rob RobV |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 07 Jul 2006 Thanks Robert
O-> O+> |
- Behaviour Patterns of Gravid Snakes |
