Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi -

Our corn snake laid her first clutch recently and the first one hatched yesterday. There were only 2 that were viable. We held the other one up to the light to see if it had anything in it, as it looked mostly good, but had at one point gotten some mold on it and we were not sure. It did not look like it contained a snake so we slit the egg open, to make sure. Well, it did turn out to contain what looks to be a healthy baby, and the blood vessels in the egg are bright red. However, now the egg is open quite a bit, and some of the fluid left the egg. We placed the egg back in the shoebox and under the heat.
We probably have done everything wrong, but we are hoping that the baby is still OK. Is this possible? Is it possible that even with the egg open and part of the fluid gone, the baby will emerge on its own? What should we do?

Thank you all so much.

A new (and naive) snake baby grandma

PS - The other one, a snow corn like the mother, is doing great and is active and looks very healthy.

Keep the humidity high. If the baby comes out with yolk attached, leave it alone until it absorbs. All should go well. Good luck.

>>Hi -
>>
>>Our corn snake laid her first clutch recently and the first one hatched yesterday. There were only 2 that were viable. We held the other one up to the light to see if it had anything in it, as it looked mostly good, but had at one point gotten some mold on it and we were not sure. It did not look like it contained a snake so we slit the egg open, to make sure. Well, it did turn out to contain what looks to be a healthy baby, and the blood vessels in the egg are bright red. However, now the egg is open quite a bit, and some of the fluid left the egg. We placed the egg back in the shoebox and under the heat.
>>We probably have done everything wrong, but we are hoping that the baby is still OK. Is this possible? Is it possible that even with the egg open and part of the fluid gone, the baby will emerge on its own? What should we do?
>>
>>Thank you all so much.
>>
>>A new (and naive) snake baby grandma
>>
>>PS - The other one, a snow corn like the mother, is doing great and is active and looks very healthy.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

How long should it go before I just assume he didn't survive? Checked on him this morning and he is still plump and moist and the blood vessels are still very red. He is not moving at all though. Is this a bad sign, or is he taking a rest? He was moving a little bit earlier when we first slit open the egg. Is it possible that something could have happened to him since yesterday, or is it more likely that I am just being paranoid?

Obviously, this is my first experience with snake breeding, as we introduced this pair late and figured they would not breed. Most of the clutch (15) was not good, although I am not 100% sure why. Mom is a snow and dad is a ghost. Baby #1 is a healthy snow that has a beautiful pattern. Baby #2 appears to be a Anery. These are the only two eggs that made it. I am really hoping that baby #2 pulled through.

Techgoddess