Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, Leeloo laid a clutch of 12 eggs this morning. I'm not sure if they are fertile, though. They were like little water bags, and some still have dents. I'm incubating them anyway, so we shall see what happens. I forgot to snap a picture of her on the eggs, but I'll get one up soon of the clutch.

Miss Bianca still hasn't laid hers yet, and I'm getting a bit concerned. I thought they were supposed to lay 7-14 days after their pre-lay shed. Leeloo laid hers on schedule, 8 days after her shed. It has been 17 days since Miss Bianca shed... way longer than I have ever heard of a snake laying. I know she is gravid, because I can feel the eggs.

Has any ever heard of eggs taking this long? I'll be posting this in the general Kingsnake forum too.

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Aubrey Ross

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Here are pictures of Leeloo's eggs right after I removed them. They don't look too promising. Some have un-dented slightly after being in the incubator for a few hours, though.

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Aubrey Ross

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Sadly, those are slugs. Oh the challenges of breeding thayeri! This use to be the most frustrating period...a perfectly healthy female lays a full clutch of slugs...argh!

Try agian next year or as my friend says "that's snake farming".

Russ

Unfortunately, to me they look like slugs, Aubrey. Very sad, but it does happen Brumating the males at lower temps probably helps (I saw your post in the general forum...60 degrees brumation). I brumate my colubrids for 3 months at 50-55 degrees F, although it did get down to 45 often. I put my thayeri males closer to the ground, so the temps are a bit lower. I've been using a heated, thermostat-controlled garage the last couple years (and have a generator as a back-up), but before that I used a wine cooler. I still occasionally get slugs, though. Usually it's only a couple eggs out of a clutch.

If you get eggs that you're not sure about, you can try to "candle" them. Soon after laying you should see some blood vessels along the inside wall of the shell, or at least a pink spot. The inside of the egg should look slightly pink; if it's yellow it was probably not fertilized.

If Miss Bianca doesn't lay in another week or so, she may be egg bound. Google "egg binding" or "dystocia" and you should find some relevant info.
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Maria

Alaska Reptiles

"Life is like a box of thayeri eggs..."

it's not a perfect science and can take longer than the 7-14 day window. Leave the snake alone and provide a good nest box and she'll drop them.
Russ

Aubrey, I agree with the others. They don't look good. Wait a while and try her with another male if you have one.........mike bodner

Thanks... but I'm not going to try and breed her again this year. I'm more worried about Miss Bianca, as she still hasn't laid. I'm having a hard time feeling eggs now too. What do you suppose that means? They can't "re-absorb" them can they?
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Aubrey Ross

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www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

absolutely snakes can reabsorb eggs, it happens all the time. I had three females reabsorb last year when I never introduced them to males. If you are not feeling them, they either were reabsorb or she has reduced them to slugs and will pass them or she'll get egg bound...usually a result of passing slugs.

Good luck

Wow, that's really interesting! I hope that is what is going on here, and that she will be OK. Thanks!!
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Aubrey Ross

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www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

I had a female last year that I was positive she was gravid so I took the male away and no eggs! I believe it was just ovulation and I missed it. Sounds like the same case with your females Russ.
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i'm not over weight i'm under tall

...for all of your help. I've already tossed most of the eggs, as they started rotting right away.

Miss Bianca still hasn't laid. She is still plump in the rear, but I can't really feel anything in there anymore. Perhaps I'll try again later. She's got me baffled.
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Aubrey Ross

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www.SlipstreamSerpents.com