Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all, I had something crazy happen yesterday. Two of my female trans-pecos ratsnakes laid a second clutch of eggs which were all duds (except for two). I never put these girls back in with the males after there first clutch or duds. Now help me out and correct me if im wrong but subocs don't doudle clutch, I never herd of this happening I was told a long time ago they don't,and I can't find any article or info on this topic. If anybody has any info on this topic let talk about. Thanks, Antoine.

Other N. American Rat Snakes can under the right food conditions, why not subocs? You must be feeding your's well.

Hey Antoine,

You're right -- Typically, they don't. But some do on occasion, as your snakes have shown. I addressed this in the forthcoming book.

Did you cool your females?

DR

Hey Antoine. I've had that happen many times with other species where they'll lay either a clutch of infertile eggs to begin with or a good clutch and then a small clutch of infertile eggs, even when they haven't been put back in with a male.

did you get any good eggs this year?

I believe that some of the sperm can remain in the body to produce more offspring, it is not un common for a snake to have two clitches, the fact that you didn't put the two together is prob'ly why most were duds. So, your female may have ovulated twice and had some sperm from the first coppulation. Some females ovulate three times even. I am not positive, but I belive I recently read about this in some books.

KimBrie
P.S. Looking at books for info is better than on the internet they tend to have a better chance of accuracy.