Advise on white lip tree vipers

[ExoticReptiles]

Hi guys I have been keeping and breeding non venomous snakes for a few years now and I now got my first pair of "hots" - white lip tree vipers and the female is pregnant. Now I need some advise from you guys who know about these things.

1. Do I need a permit to keep these snakes?
2. Does the female eat while she is gravid?
3. How do I know when she is close to giving birth?

I hope someone can help me on this.

If you need any information about anything please ask.

Thanking you in advance

[kfc223]

Where are you located?

[ExoticReptiles]

Randburg johannesburg

[steve]

Greetings!

1. There could possibly be permits required depending on your location(no permit is required for Gauteng Provence).
2. Yes she most certainly will eat up until a few fews before birth, she needs as much nutrition as possible to keep up her strength and to produce strong healthy offspring.
3. I think the gestation period is variable depending on brood size, climate(hot/cold) and nutrition but you looking at an average of 4-5months. The female will stop eating in the weeks leading up to birth and will normally retreat to the floor to a nesting area rather then in a perch on a branch as they normally prefer, these are sure signs that she is near.

Regards

[ExoticReptiles]

Thank you. Well I am in Gauteng so no permit needed then. I tried feeding her last night but she didn't eat and she is on the floor alot, althought after having the mouse in the cage she got upset and retreated back to the top so I am taking it that she is close.
Thanks for the advise

[ExoticReptiles]

I am starting to think that my female is not pregnant, she seems to be getting thinner and not thicker so yesterday I put the male back in with her and he was all over her, trying to do his thing, but I haven't seen them coupling yet ( he seems very clumsy in that department lol)
The female didn't seem to get annoyed at him trying to mate so I am all confused now. Is there anyway of being sure whether she is pregnant or not?

[J.C]

Not that I know of,maybe a scan can be done by a vet? I've got a heavily Gravid girl as well and she mated with the male on the 21st of Match,so hoping for the best! They hard to sell,only sad thing. As they are amazing snakes!

[ExoticReptiles]

Here are some pics I took on sunday after I decided to put the male back in with her. He tried to mate, but I didn't see them coupling

[ExoticReptiles]

More pics

[kfc223]

I'm sure they will mate when they want to.

If you get the neonates on pinks I don't think you will have trouble selling them.

If you are willing to export them to the western cape I'd be more than happy to buy the whole litter from you.

[ExoticReptiles]

Will have to see when they are born kfc223 and will let you know, already have a few people interested in buying them

[ExoticReptiles]

So it would seem that she was never gravid when I bought her from that guy, but when I put the male in with her in July they mated and she took. After almost 5 months she gave birth probably during the night last night, cause this morning before we left for work I checked in on her and saw her back up in the branches, slim body again, and when I looked in the grass where she has been lying the last two weeks about I saw some babies and duds lying around. I quickly scanned but only saw 3 babies and alot of dud eggs so hopefully this wasn't a bad clutch, but I will check toningt when I get home, maybe there are more, but from the amount of duds lying aroung I am not putting my hopes on finding many more.

[Bushviper]

You should have checked that the babies have torn the egg sac. They often suffocate in the sacs.

[ExoticReptiles]

Damn I didn't know that! I hope that wasn't the case, but I suppose there isn't much I can do till I get home and by then it would be too late for any that got stuck