BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Calypso delivered a second still- born (assuming it was still born, still totally encased in membrane) and a huge slug (2-3") today. 9 days after she gave birth? I just never expected this. I looked for 2-3 days after, but this seems like a really long time. I feel so bad about the little still-born, not sure if it really was still-born, or just needed help, and no help was there

Just checked on her again, she is still squirming and trying to push out something else. I can't believe there is still something in there, poor girl!

a couple of my blotchies did that this season,one stillborn came 12 days after bubs,still borns were still encased in birth sack,i actually filmed one being born,it came out curled up and sideways instead of head first,and encased,normally they have popped head out of sack by the time females pushed head out of her,i broke sack just incase to see if i could get them going but they were lifeless,one appeared to have died a little before the birthing process

delayed birthing can happen if theres slugs and still borns involved,i guess keep an eye on her,hopefully shes finishing up

Liz the Alpine Blotchie had several dead babies this year including a combination of slugs, some small dead babies (probably less than 20grams) and one ultra large one born dead and fully developed at between 70-80 grams. The other largest ones I have had were around 50grams. Weird that it obviously continued to grow normally despite being dead but was born very late by my standards.

She seems to have stopped pushing, nothing else has come out. I hope she is done!

She started squirming and pushing again about 9:30pm, but nothing is coming out. I just can't imagine what could still be in there?

Last year I had one that I thought was stillborn, and was still completely inside the sac. I don't even know how long it was there before I found it because I came in and found the mother completely done delivering her litter. For some reason I removed the sac anyway. The baby didn't move at all, and I just kind of left it there while I removed the others and put them in their own tubs. When I was completely done with that (probably 30 minutes later), I went back to the stillborn and moved it around a little, mostly just examining it. I don't even know why, but I kind of pressed on it a little like giving it chest compressions. Once I started that. I picked it up and dropped it about from about 2 inches high 3-4 times. After doing this for a minute or so, the dang thing moved! At that point I gently rubbed it for awhile longer. Within 5 minutes, that thing was standing up and trying to walk. I watched that one very closely, but within a couple days it seemed just like all the other babies.

I still have a hard time believing it, but in the future I will never assume a baby is dead without at least making an effort to revive it. I am constantly learning new things about these guys.

Yes I did try to remove the sack and tried to warm it up in my hands. I'm not sure how long it was in the tank before I found it, a couple of hrs possibly.

I am beginning to think this will never end. Calypso delivered another still born today. I found this one earlier than the last, but still could not revive it, so sad and frustrating

This is very sad and must be so hard on you. How is Calypso looking now? Try to focus on the happy and healthy little fat babies that you do have and not to dwell on the others

Ellie_A wrote:This is very sad and must be so hard on you. How is Calypso looking now? Try to focus on the happy and healthy little fat babies that you do have and not to dwell on the others

I agree I have been focusing extra attention on the 11 we do have! Calypso is still pushing a little? Mostly she seems to be resting. I hope everything is out!

she sounds close to done,maybe even done,how many slugs and still borns has she had?

hows her eating and drinking going

Richard.C wrote:she sounds close to done,maybe even done,how many slugs and still borns has she had?

hows her eating and drinking going

Slugs, I have lost count, but I think 7-8 (total from last week and this week) and still- borns 3 total.

She had started to eat again, I had been feeding her every day since last Tuesday, and she was eating a little every day. She didn't eat yesterday or today. She has been drinking lots, especially yesterday & today.

11 babies,3 stillborns plus 7 or 8 slugs is a huge load,slugs can cause them to delay finishing,still borns to,its hard on them just having healthy bubs ,especially young lasses and more so with first litters,perhaps they freak out abit,one of my blotchies that had still borns still pushed on and off for days after originally dropping,it still had its appetite in between pushing,but wasnt as keen if it was in push mode

its not a great feeling when they extend it over a week let alone close to 2,normally its just bang and the clear everything in the one go,but some dont like to play ball,and make us wait longer,she should be close to done,so i guess keep feeding and hydrating her,and fingers crossed she finishes up with the pushing for you

keep us posted

That's so rough..,I'm glad you're hanging on there! Poor bubs, at least most were live

Found another still-born in the tank Sunday night. She was acting fine, all day, ate a little, was basking, no pushing that I had seen since Thursday, so this was another surprise! My Theory about these still-borns is that the very large slug she delivered on Wednesday had trapped these last 3 in there and they died before they could be born? Those of you with more breeding experience, does this sound right? I am just stunned at how many were in there!

could be the cause,but hard to say,i had a few stillborns this season and fidnt notice any slugs and they were also delayed in having them,only one looked like it was dead inside for a bit,the rest look perfectly normal,there could have been slugs involved but i never saw any

such a big litter could also cause complications,thats alot of babies and unfertilised ova contained inside,but yes slugs can delay birthing process,which could result in stillborns becsuse of delayed birthing

She ate really well today, the most she has eaten at one time since delivering the babies, so I am hopeful this is it, and she can get on to fully recovering!

I'm just catching up on your post. Sounds like you guys have had quite the time. I have actually never had any slugs and only had one still birth since i started breeding a few years back. My female started eating half way through one of her deliveries. She was eating from the front and birthing from the back. I wish we had all the answers but we don't. Sounds like you have your hands full with babies though. They stay small such a short period of time. Enjoy them while you have them.

dsteamn wrote:I'm just catching up on your post. Sounds like you guys have had quite the time. I have actually never had any slugs and only had one still birth since i started breeding a few years back. My female started eating half way through one of her deliveries. She was eating from the front and birthing from the back. I wish we had all the answers but we don't. Sounds like you have your hands full with babies though. They stay small such a short period of time. Enjoy them while you have them.

Thank You, yes the babies are a handful, but so much fun. Calypso seems to be finally done. She is eating well again, and for now I am feeding her a little every day. She did loose a lot of weight, about 350-400g. This was a bit rough for our first breeding season, some great, some bad. If I breed her next year I do hope thing go a little smoother. I need to see if she puts back on enough weight before I decide.