>> These eggs look viable. She still retains two eggs. Apparently, she doesn't like the options given her.

Hi Danny,

I very much doubt it has anything to do with her not liking her egg-laying options. It just sounds like she has a dystocia (egg-binding) issue.

I'd be quite surprised if those last two eggs were indeed viable after such a long hiatus. Egg-binding almost always occurs when the eggs are "slugs". It does happen when there are good eggs, but not near as often.

>>Am I just missing out on the obvious in the husbandry tactics or what?

I'm not 100% sure what you mean here. Maybe you're asking if your husbandry methods have caused her to have these problems?? If that is your question, then my answer is I highly doubt it. A dystocia often has to do with under-developed muscle tone or maybe a calcium deficiency. If you've been feeding her adult rodents, then I doubt the latter is the case.

Taking her out and handling her often during the "off-season" will usually build her muscle up enough for a healthy egg deposition.

If you've provided her with a suitable nest box, she should usually lay there, but a female will sometimes lay bad eggs in an alternative location a day or two before the healthy remainder is laid. Any longer than that means she's having issues laying the eggs.

Subocs will lay healthy clutches directly on the substrate (or even in/near the water bowl) if there is no suitable nesting place. Laying on the substrate usually doesn't do the eggs harm as long as they're found early after laying.

>>Any techniques to encourage spitting out those last 2 eggs?

Yes, get a small gauge needle and a decent-sized syringe and aspirate them (suck the liquid out). At this point, those eggs are most-likely bad anyway. Since she's having trouble passing them, aspirating them will shrink them down until they're just collapsed eggshell. She'll pass that remaining shell much easier.

Best of luck with her and let us know how she fairs.

Dusty Rhoads
Suboc.com

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