Questions on possible gravid Mexican Rosy.

I got this girl in Oct. last year from a breeder. She is about 12, is proven and produced a litter last year. The breeder was replacing her with one of her daughters that had gotten old enough to breed. I didn't brumate her or breed her this year. However she is starting to look gravid. If she is gravid from last year's breeding, when would you guess her to have them? Thanks for any replies!

Also I was wondering if I should feed her as normal or cut down on either the size or frequency of her meals? I've heard mixed opinions about that, on other species but not whether it might be a good idea with Rosy boas.

Originally Posted by Charis

I got this girl in Oct. last year from a breeder. She is about 12, is proven and produced a litter last year. The breeder was replacing her with one of her daughters that had gotten old enough to breed. I didn't brumate her or breed her this year. However she is starting to look gravid. If she is gravid from last year's breeding, when would you guess her to have them? Thanks for any replies!

Most likely she's just ovulating...

Otherwise, if she starts sticking to her heat pad & won't move, then you might just have a gravid rosy...offer smaller means, but if she wants them, let her have them.
-JC

Thanks for the reply! Yeah, that was one reason I started to suspect that she is actually gravid, she's been glued to the UTH.

Originally Posted by Charis

Thanks for the reply! Yeah, that was one reason I started to suspect that she is actually gravid, she's been glued to the UTH.

I would think it to be very odd if were gravid from retained sperm from last year...
Are you certain she hasn't been with a male in the last few months...?

Not since I got her in Oct. but she was in with the male she'd been paired with at the Expo I picked her up at, he was selling them as a pair but let me have just her since I already have a male. The breeder told me there was a small possibility that she might double clutch (or whatever the term is with live-bearing) but that he didn't think it was likely.

I've never heard of rosy boas double clutching. Ovulating rosys definitely have that gravid look sometimes, so much so that some new breeders remove the male at just the wrong time.
I would highly suspect she is ovulating. Get a male quick!

Well, from what you are all saying, she's probably not gravid. But just in case, is there any danger with live bearers giving birth in their water bowls and drowning the babies? I don't think I've read anything about that, though I know egg layers sometimes do that with their clutches. Have no problems with high humidity here, so the rosy boas have water dishes at all times.

To answer one of your original questions. IF she is gravid, most females give birth between late July to late August. If she was in with a male when you bought her she may have mated with him and has just recently ovulated with warmer weather. When did she shed last? Can you post pics of her? Offering food is not an issue. If you give her something too big she'll probably grab it and then eventually leave it. I give my gravid females hopper mice every 5 days. Even gravid females like to eat.

Thanks for the answer! She shed around about the time she started to look gravid, I don't remember exactly when. It might be written down somewhere. I think she was just ovulating, she has lost the gravid look and has stopped spending all her time on the UTH. I did briefly put my male in with her but while he seemed to be game, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. I'd post some pictures but I'm just about to head out of town for the week and am not sure if I'll get the chance before I leave.