For a while now, I've suspected that the female A. clorechis I have is gravid. She has been sharing an enclosure with a male for about 9 months and since the temperature cooled this autumn and the barometric pressure changed, I have seen the rear 1/3 of her body getting bigger and bigger.

I have seperated her into an enclosure where she can bask (she was being maintained at ambient temperature before).

My question is: How long does this species remain gravid? How long after they become obviously bloated will the babies drop?

It would be nice to get an idea of the time frame I'm looking at for the babies to be born.

Thanks!

Hi Luke I’ve just bred mine so let me try help.

My female was gravid for close on 8 months. She refused food for about three months before she actually dropped the babies. There was no “pre lay shed” so not really much warning that the babies were on the way. I noticed she didn’t bask very much at all, although other guys who have bred them said their appreciated a basking spot.

The babies are small but are really not that tricky to get going. I hope that helps a bit. Good luck and please post some pictures of the babies.

8 months! I don't want to wait that long lol!

I'm so excited for these neonates. this will be my first attempt at breeding vipers!

Do you have any tips on optimal temperature/humidity/dietary supplements for gestation? I hope the enclosure I moved her into isn't too warm for her, but she seems to be enjoying the basking.

Hi Luke I didn’t do anything special at all. I gave her a basking spot, which she very rarely used. The ambient temperature of the cage was between 20° and 24°. She produces 7 healthy babies which may not be a huge clutch but they were all healthy. Just make sure she gets plenty of fresh water and feed her a little bit more regularly until she goes off feeding. Give her minimal disturbance, don’t move her around unnecessarily, and all should be well. Please keep us updated, I’m sure all will go very well for you.

So,

Here's my (somewhat disappointing) news.

I rember saying "This viper is either gravid, or this is the biggest fecal impaction I've ever seen." Well, I went to check on her yesterday and found a MASSIVE pile of crap at the bottom of her enclosure. She is still looking heavy-bodied, but not too far outside the range of what a healthy female bush viper should look like. So she may still be gravid, but I'm much less certain of it now.

Hi Luke,
congrats, you just found out how long a chloro can keep her crap. Same thing happend to me last year;-) They are like a storeroom. But dont give up, there is still a chance. About how long gravid: 1year ago a squam let me wait 8 months this year almost 10! The same animal. She was shedding, putting her carp, and giving 17 babies the same night. Last year she had a pre shed 4 days before birth. And the whole time she was a good feeder.
Greetings Rene

My squam was holding her babies 8 months and 9 days. feed until last day, No pre shed. and gave me 18 healthy youngs..so dont give up hope.

I hope you guys are right, but since she's had a huge crap, she doesn't really look gravid at all.

Oh well, I've increased the humidity and re-introduced the male so we'll see what happens.

Just keep trying them, they will breed for you. Often they seem to mate late at night (I think) I only caught mine once, by chance. Has you male been eating as much as usual? I have noticed when they get keen on breeding the males tend to go off their food?