My Blotch only had 2 babies ?

guygardner1 · Postby **guygardner1** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:59 pm

My mature Blotch female, and trust me she is at least 10 years old, only had 2 babies the other day. I went to her secure outdoor enclosure and their were 2 babies running around. I was very excited. But strangly confused as she is big enough to have at least 10 - 15 offspring. She is very well fed and wouldn't have eaten the others if they exsisted. Can someone please explain this low birth rate to me ? Both babies are very healthy, but there is only two of them and that was 6 days ago. I am very confused ?

Funda · Postby **Funda** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:43 pm

Great to hear that your blotchy had babies.
We would all love it if you post some pictures of mamma and the babies.

Sorry i wouldnt have the answer to your question but im sure someone would come along and give you a perfect answer to that

f.C

Fatal_S · Postby **Fatal_S** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:48 pm

Is she a first time mother? First timers often have only a few small babies. I don't think blotchies ever have 10+ babies. Some of the other breeders were talking about their mothers producing only 4-6 at most.

Postby **Richard.C** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:55 pm

hi guy,blotchies often lay alot of slugs with there babies,a good chance she has done that,if so they usually eat the slugs straight away,my big alpine girl often has the odd slug in a litter,and she eats it whilst pushing the next baby or slug out,her lowest litter was 3,they were quite sizeable babies,but wouldnt supprise me if she layed the odd slug as well,that would be my guess as to the low number your big girl had,but there is always a chance they only have a few as well,my lot seem to average 4 babys,had 3 once and anywhere up to ten babies from blotches in my care,any chance they could still be hiding in the cage,and do u keep anything else with your blotchies

Geoff Gates · Postby **Geoff Gates** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:17 am

My blotchies average 6 in a brood.

Check your pit thoroughly. i had one baby avoid detection for over 1 month. On another ocassion I found a baby 3 days after it was born amongst the leaves of a native plant at least 18 inches off the ground.

Sometimes the mating occurs when they are not quite ovulating or the female has not produced many eggs.

Remember - in the wild, blotchies are bi-ennial breeders. Often when they drop their broods they do not have enough time to put on condition to be able to reproduce the next season.

In captivity this is rarer but does happen or on ocassion they will have less babies in a season following a late litter.

shingleback aus · Postby **shingleback aus** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:06 am

great news be sure to post pics

guygardner1 · Postby **guygardner1** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:39 am

There was quiet alot of solid yellow waxy glob stuff. I have bred Easterns before and know that the offspring usually eat their own birth sacs as a form of nutrients. But this yellow hard wax stuff has me stumped. Could it explain the low birth rate of only 2 babies from a mature female ? These offspring are in excellent condition for being less than a week old.

rachel · Postby **rachel** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:50 am

naww cute baby blotchies

plz post pics of mumma and bubs...

sry i cant answer your question

zakkhogan · Postby **zakkhogan** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:56 am

Richard.C wrote:hi guy,blotchies often lay alot of slugs with there babies,a good chance she has done that,if so they usually eat the slugs straight away,my big alpine girl often has the odd slug in a litter,and she eats it whilst pushing the next baby or slug out,her lowest litter was 3,they were quite sizeable babies,but wouldnt supprise me if she layed the odd slug as well,that would be my guess as to the low number your big girl had,but there is always a chance they only have a few as well,my lot seem to average 4 babys,had 3 once and anywhere up to ten babies from blotches in my care,any chance they could still be hiding in the cage,and do u keep anything else with your blotchies

when you say slugs, do you mean slugs as in like snails with out shells or somhing else?

Tattoo · Postby **Tattoo** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:03 am

I believe he is referring to unfertilized ovum.

zakkhogan · Postby **zakkhogan** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:11 am

thats what i asumed, but was unsure... :lol:

Postby **Scotts1au** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:09 am

Yeh I have found babies before obviously months after they were born and couldn't even work out which mother. :-)

Feed her up and you might luck another crop next year.

Yah blotchies :-)

Scott

Geoff Gates · Postby **Geoff Gates** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:25 am

guygardner1 wrote:There was quiet alot of solid yellow waxy glob stuff. But this yellow hard wax stuff has me stumped. Could it explain the low birth rate of only 2 babies from a mature female ?

Yes, these are unfertilised eggs or an embryo that has started to develop and then stopped (for whatever reason). Often the female will eat them.

As you said there were a lot of them it is a good explanation for why there were only 2 babies. Sounds like the timing of the mating was a bit out.

One of my females blotchies had 4 babies on Sunday and I did see one slug. She might have eaten others slugs too.

Postby **Richard.C** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:21 am

still waiting on my blotchys to have babys,i must live in the twilight zone,hope i dont have to wait till april,im thinking the next few days are hot ones,so thats a good time for them,yes guy,they were slugs,hence only 2 bubs,do check your cage thouroly,as they can hide pretty good,as geoff said,slugs are unfertilised ovum,so they have them instead of a baby