Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This female texan had her pre-lay shed on March 9 and finally produced 12 nice looking eggs today (April 8).

Does anyone have any experience with eggs that seem to have been laid late? Maybe she shed early, who knows? She never seemed to be in any discomfort prior to laying and wasn't straining like she was eggbound.

We'll see how they do. Right now I'm just happy they are on the outside.

Congratulations, Mike! I don't know of any unusual effects. With your fine clutch of Erebennus close to 50 good eggs have been reported on this forum and are hopefully incubating well. It's always seemed that many more Easterns hatch out in captivity than Texas. So good for the Drymarchon world! Now who's going to have rubidus eggs?

I really want to get a rubidus project going as well. Does Jeff still have his stock?

By the way, when I collected the eggs there were 13 instead of 12. We'll see if that's a lucky number or not...

I do not know indigo physiology, but I would speculate that while the embryo is small, oxygen demand is low so there shouldn't be too much concern, especially with eggs that take so long to incubate.
What interests me with this situation is that while the oviduct isn't like a mammalian uterus, I wonder if there is any blood supply that can supply oxygen to the organ that can then diffuse to the embryos?
hmm.

daveb

You are voicing my concerns for me. One of my couperi girls did her prelay March 19. She sat tight in her laying box untill the last few days. I have been seeing her out and about so I gave her a second nest box.
What would be considered an average wait from shed to laying.
What is considered too long. There is no sign of straining or anything. But I think she is uncomfortable.

I think you'll be OK. Good luck and let us know when she finally lays.

Thanks You know the watched pot never boils principle is in effect here.

Mike You were right .... here is my update.
My largest female couperi had her prelay shed on the 19th of March. Early yesterday evening (April 10)she laid 11 eggs. I thought one was no good because it was so flacid but it looks great today.
She must have laid it just before I checked in on her.
The bad news was she clearly had one bulging at her vent. She seemed whipped so I left her in her nest chamber and hoped for the best. This morning she seemed much stronger but no change in the egg. I supersoaked the cage and went to work this am.
Again no change when I came home. With my wifes help this PM the snakes vent was dilated and FOUR remaining eggs were gently worked out. They all looked brite white but were very flacid.
Who knows ... I set them up in the incubator. What say you. Do eggs that spent an extra 24 hours inside still have a chance?