First gravid(?) Python "PIC"...

[Simon R. Sansom]

Hi people!

I just wanted to share a pic of my hopefully gravid Children's Python (Antaresia childreni). This is a pic of her about two weeks ago when she was doing the inverted basking behaviour.
She has just finished her pre-lay shed, so I'm expecting some eggs in about ten days or so.
This is the first time I've ever tried breeding a python. I've produced some boas, various colubrids and bearded dragons, so I thought I'd try a small python species for a change.
I know they're only Children's Pythons, but I'm still VERY excited!
http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/simonsansom/611945picture.jpg
Thanks for looking. All the best for the season, everyone!

Simon

[LdyDrgn]

Nice, congrats and good luck!

[Zoe]

Congradulations!! It's great to see, isn't it????
I'd be excited if I had corn snake eggs, so no worries :D

Zoe

[Dom]

good for you man - best of luck

[Burmies]

Looks good, also has somewhat the same colours as a common rainbow boa.

Burmies

[snake_lover]

Hey ,
Congrats,
Are you going to sell them? If so how much for one cause i have a friend in CA.And he wants 2 buy a Children's Python.

Thnx,

[Vanan]

Best of luck my man! We need more Antaresia's in this country!!

[Katt]

Looking good Simon.

Although, I have to say this. Get a new camera!!!

[paul_le_snake]

nice work fella, like zoe said if its a corn or a boelens python ull always get that thrill when u see the eggs!
cheers
paul

[C.Marshell]

Cograts!:thumbsup:

[gonesnakee]

Super Cool Simon! I too myself bred Children's for the first time this year & was blessed with 11/11 good eggs on April 1. I can't wait to see the babies! Mark I. - GONE SNAKEE!

[boa]

congrats simon best of luck

[Simon R. Sansom]

Thanks everyone! I've got fingers crossed.

Mark; how long after the pre-lay shed did she deposit the eggs?. I'm hearing wildly conflicting reports; anywhere from 10 to 30 days. I can't find any of my reference books all of a sudden.

Thanks,
Simon

[gonesnakee]

Hi Simon, here's a quote from my Barron's Pythons book " The gravid females shed 19 days after ovulation, and lay their eggs 23 days after shedding." The book also says "Incubation generally takes 60 days at 85 to 90 F (29-30 C)." I didn't write down the date of my girl's prelay shed (DOH!) so I can't be exact, but it was approx. 3 - 4 weeks prior to the egg laying. In reguards to the other quote, Henry Piorun says his Childrens hatch at 40 days if kept at 90 F during incubation. So depending on temp it could be anywhere between 40 - 60 days of incubation. I hope this helps some. Possibly try emailing Henry for advice if more is requried, as he has lots of experience with them & similar Pythons ( www.a1pythons.com ). Good Luck Mark I.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Barker book says 20-30 days with the Mean being 24.6 days. Females need a spot of at least 90F to bask to gestate properly to get the eggs out after the pre-lay.

[Xetox]

Good Luck to ya man!

And if you need someone to take one or two of those babys...........:)

[Simon R. Sansom]

Well, she caught me by surprise! I came home from work and this is what I found :0)
http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/simonsansom/192232picture.jpg
18 eggs, exactly 20 days after the pre-lay shed.

Thanks for looking!

Simon

[Dom]

Wow - a big congrats man .. I hope they hatched out for you .. all of them!

[Simon R. Sansom]

Thanks for all of the kind words and encouragement, everyone! And I appreciate the information which folks were kind enough to research and post for me. (I just found my misplaced copy of the Barker's Aussie Python book).

What a great experience.
Thanks all!

Simon

[gonesnakee]

HOLY LARGE CLUTCH BATMAN!!! CONGRATS!!!
Mark I. - GONE SNAKEE!

[Simon R. Sansom]

Mark, LOL! I was only expecting maybe ten eggs...what a surprise! It's hard to believe that all of those eggs came from that little snake. It's her first clutch too.

Simon

[PoiSoNouS]

woah, congrats ! :)

[gonesnakee]

Ya large is right. I thought my girl's first clutch was large at 11. 18's a MEGA for a first clutch! All the books I've seen more or less say around 2-12 eggs, not a dozen & a half. Good luck with them. Mine are at day 27 & my fingers are crossed that they will all remain to do well & hopefully hatch. Mark I.

[gonesnakee]

Hi Simon, I thought I would let you know that my Children's began hatching yesterday (43 days). 1/11 hatched before any of the other ten even pipped. I looked today 24 hrs later & 3 of the remaining ten have now pipped. I'll be really happy to see those other 7 little heads. Hurry up already LOL I can't wait. I'll have to let you know how things work out. Mark I.

[Simon R. Sansom]

Well,
I've done a great job of screwing that clutch up!
Too much moisture.
I'll be lucky to salvage any of the eggs at all.
I've re-mixed my vermiculite, and I'm hoping that a couple MAY hatch out of the original 18.

Cheers!

Simon

[Katt]

Good luck Simon!!
Sorry to hear about the eggs.

[gonesnakee]

Simon, if it makes you feel any better I had my moisture much too high also. If you read my little story on how the hatching went starting Tuesday & ending Friday, it was all the really "swelled" eggs that were on the bottom in the wet vermiculite that I thought were not going to pip at all, that all hatched last, days after the first. What I'm saying is that theres hope. I did lose the one, but it was due to a pipping/drowning problem. They were dry eggs in the beginning & I got carried away with the H2O one day. I didn't change out my substrate though, but "aired" the eggs almost daily. Despite the fact that the 6 eggs on the bottom ended up swelling twice the size or more than the one on top they all turned out the same. It just took them a couple extra days & they had lots of fluids left in their "empty" eggshells whereas the first ones to hatch had "sucked theirs dry". Unless you are positive that they are dead don't give up. Babies will hatch from some nasty eggs sometimes. Good Luck, Mark I.

[Simon R. Sansom]

Well, I'm starting to think that I didn't screw up the eggs. The ones which were adhered together in a clump went bad, but the ones which I was able to keep separate are at least still nice and white, albeit a bit wrinky and caved-in looking, but certainly not moldy or smelly. Maybe some just weren't meant to hatch.
Fingers crossed, maybe I'll get a couple of little guys yet. I'd be happy to see even ONE good baby.

Cheers!

Simon

[Colonel SB]

Right on those eggs look great. Can't waite too see the hatching pics :D

[Simon R. Sansom]

Well, well, well...Look at what I found when I went to just have a quick peek at the eggs...
http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/simonsansom/261677picture.jpg
..there are three of the little tykes so far out of the six "good" crinkly eggs.

So, there are my very first python babies!
I am ecstatic!
thanks for looking!

Simon

[Tim and Julie B]

That awsome Simon! Congrads on that. Hopefully there will be more.

[gonesnakee]

Right on Simon. Another name to ad to the list of Canadian "Childrens" breeders. Congrats!!! Some of mine just finished their second meals yesterday. Good Luck with the upcoming feedings etc. Mark I.