Reptile & Amphibian Forums

First time breeder. Everything by the book. Ovulated Mar 19, pre-lay shed 22 days later. Very obviously gravid. She chooses to remain in egg-laying box at 84-88 degrees rather than use basking site. Now 34 days since shed and still no eggs. How long before I worry that she's egg-bound? I've heard the vet can inject a hormone to induce contractions, if unsuccessful then surgery. Either way the eggs are no good. Can the snake breed successfully after one of these procedures?

Leave her alone, she's fine. It's only been 56 days at most since ovulation, she's not even due for another four days, (at least the way I count). I'd maybe start worrying in two weeks, but you have ages before then.

I have bred Ball Pythons since 1993 and believe it or not I have yet to have an egg bound female! That's not to say it can't happen if you breed a female that is not "thick" enough to pass them. I have had females go up to 40 days past the Prelay shed date and had perfectly good eggs. Also if the female didn't use the basking spot that tells me 2 things, first that your hot spot is likely to warm because most females will sit on the heat 2/3 of the time as long as it is betwwen 86-90 F , which by the way is the same temp requirement for incubating the eggs! Second since she maintained a temp a few degrees cooler than "normal" because she didn't use the basking site then I would also bet that it will take her a few more days than the average 30 days from Prelay shed to egglaying. By the way of the 7 clutches I currently have incubating the average time from Prelay shed to egg laying has been 33 1/2 days with a basking site of 86 of which they were on most of the time! Anthony McCain-McCain's Reptiles. www.ballpythonspecialist.com

Good advice from Christy and Anthony. I’ll just add that I’ve been breeding snakes since 1979 (actually the first time was a fluke!) and I’ve experienced dystocia in one Burmese python, one blood python, and one or two colubrids, but never a ball python.

My preference would be to NOT allow injections of something like oxytocin in an attempt to facilitate passage of the eggs. Although this technique has often proved successful with chelonians, I don’t believe it works with snakes. And I believe you risk rupturing the snake’s oviduct(s). If it comes down to intervention, given the huge size of ball python eggs, then surgery is the only real option. But I’m betting that in a few days you’ll look in that nest box for the umpteenth time and find her coiled around a clutch of eggs!

Not a veterinarian,
-Joan

>>First time breeder. Everything by the book. Ovulated Mar 19, pre-lay shed 22 days later. Very obviously gravid. She chooses to remain in egg-laying box at 84-88 degrees rather than use basking site. Now 34 days since shed and still no eggs. How long before I worry that she's egg-bound? I've heard the vet can inject a hormone to induce contractions, if unsuccessful then surgery. Either way the eggs are no good. Can the snake breed successfully after one of these procedures?

...good answer Joan...
Scott J. Michaels DVM

Thank you Christy, Anthony, and Joan! It all makes sense and is helpful reassurrance. You are right about the basking site...90 at night 95 during the day, but it is radiant heat from above and I expected her to regulate by not positioning herself completely under it. She's actually an IMG (Increasing Melanin Gene) specimen and it has been fascinating watching her colors change while she has grown up with a normal male. She had plenty of girth weighing 2000 grams at beginning of the breeding season so she should have no problem passing the eggs. Hope to post again in a few days when I find the eggs have been laid! Thanks again!
Paul

It will be soon ...btw last year my friend had a snake go 45 days after her prelay shed and the eggs and snake were just fine