>>As for second clutching, even if there is a danger of the females laying slugs because they were not mated with the males, I think the more important thing to consider is the body weight of the female after her first clutch. During the second breeding, it takes a lot of energy and nutrients from a female laying fertile eggs than another female just laying slugs because the former has embryos to nourish from its mother.



Ray, I'm not sure this observation is on the mark. I have had more eggbound females bound with slugs than with good eggs. Several possibilities come to mind: whatever health deficit causes the snake to get eggbound also causes the eggs not to be fertilized. That's one possibility. But on the other hand, I think slugs can be much harder to deposit than big, firm, full eggs.



In addition, I'm not sure exactly how much "nourishing" goes on as the eggs develop inside the female, that may depend on how each reader defines "nourishing."



At any rate, i wouldn't be too quick to draw conclusions on any of the issues in the excellent questions you've raised.



terry

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