Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 2002 female is gravid for the first time and it has been 27 days since a pre laying shed. At what point do I become concerned? She is in the nesting box that I have in her cage with moist sphagnum and temp of 79 in the box with overall temp of 75 and a hot spot of 85. She hasn't eatten since before her shed. She sometimes moves out of the box and seems fine when I check on her.

You are still w/in acceptable norms but just keep an eye on her behavior as you are getting towards the upper normal limits. A gravid female getting ready to lay will be very restless a few days prior to ovipositon. If you see what looks like an egg just anterior to the cloaca that appears "stuck", keep a real close eye on her. Of course, I should also recommend that if you have any concerns, get the snake to a qualified vet...they can be the difference between life and death. But, right now, I would't push the panic button just yet.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>My 2002 female is gravid for the first time and it has been 27 days since a pre laying shed. At what point do I become concerned? She is in the nesting box that I have in her cage with moist sphagnum and temp of 79 in the box with overall temp of 75 and a hot spot of 85. She hasn't eatten since before her shed. She sometimes moves out of the box and seems fine when I check on her.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

The only snake I ever had that was egg bound was an amelanistic corn snake. I took an 18 gauge needle on a syringe and deflated the egg and she had 10 normal eggs on her own and the years after that she had no problem with her clutches. Does surgical intervention for egg binding result in sterility?
She has been in the egg box and is pushing the substrate around, but I am concerned that it has been a long time.
Thanks for the advice, my finger is near the panic button but I'm not pushing it yet.

I had a similar experience not too long ago with my melanurus and when someone told me she would get really restless I really did't think anything of it until I saw her trying to get out of her cage. That is a sign...........restlessness if I ever saw a sign. Good luck. Hope she lays a big clutch soon.

Going back to the question of surgical procedures to rectify egg binding leading to animals that cannot be bred anymore, it really depends on the situation; every one is unique. I had one female who was egg bound whereby due to the severity of the situation, the surgery corrected the problem but the vet strongly advised that the snake not be bred again; and she wasn't. On another occasion (only the second one I have ever encountered that was egg bound), the eggs were aspirated and the problem rectified. This particular female went on to produce many fertile eggs in subsequent years.

>>I had a similar experience not too long ago with my melanurus and when someone told me she would get really restless I really did't think anything of it until I saw her trying to get out of her cage. That is a sign...........restlessness if I ever saw a sign. Good luck. Hope she lays a big clutch soon.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Robert,

What vet do you visit for your Dry's?

I'm in Chicago, and I'll need a good Dry vet near by.

Thanks