Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Has anyone ever aspirated a huge egg so the female could pass it? If yes, which method did you use? Tx in advance for your replies.

(side note: I already spoke to the ERE vet, who I can have a latenight appnt with, if we can't help her ourselves)
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www.heatsherps.com

I have never had or heard of a ball python being egg bound. I did however disturb a female once when she still had an egg left to lay. She didn't lay the egg on her own. After about a week, I tried moving the egg out. I got it to the opening but no farther. I punctured the egg, being careful not to let the fluid get inside of her. When the egg collapsed some I was able to grab it with hemostats and pull it out. She is due to lay again any day now.

What makes you think she is egg bound. They can go way past due dates.
Mike

She looks miserable & is barely moving. From last night when I found the 1 egg till now, she looks dehydrated & sunken in around the outline of each egg.

I tried to get ahold of the egg, but the oviduct seems twisted over the opening, and there also seems to be scarring. I bought her last Spring as a proven breeder.

Looks like we're going to the ER.
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www.heatsherps.com

Not in a ball but I had a kingsnake get egg bound last year. She was not bred but decided to produce eggs. She laid most but I could feel two more in there. I did try a needle aspiration on the egg closest to the vent...nothing came out! Tried the second egg and drained it no problem but the first egg is still blocking her up. I squeezed some ky jelly into her then began manipulation. I could move the egg a bit with gentle squeezing. I worked, cused, worked more, prayed and finally squished my snake harder than I have ever squeezed anything I was not trying to kill!!! Finally we got the egg out...it was a solid dud, thats why I could not needle aspirate and why it stuck. It was firm and solid inside. The next one followed easily on its own. If my vet had been available all of this would have been at his office but ya do what ya gotta do. Anyway, she was fine. Don't know if this will help but that is my experience. Brenda

if you do take her to the vet make sure he goes over every step
with you be for they do anything to your snake
not all vets know the best way to handle an inpacted snake

good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!

She should lay them on her own. The vet might get carried away.

i agree. i would wait. i have had some balls go almost a month after the date i guessed they should lay.

I have had 2 ball python that have been egg bound, and how Heather explains that 1 egg came out and no others, then the odds of her laying them on her own are slim. I had one female I waited on and she never laid, they mummified in her and she still ate like normal and defecated normally. Our other female ended up bleeding out since she could not pass them on her own. When dealing with many snakes it is very possible that these things happen.
Best of luck
Kim

I have had females pass an egg 2-3 times and then lay. I have never had one egg bound, this thread is the first I have heard of others having an egg bound ball python. It is common with kings. I have almost 200 adults, and have been breeding pythons for 20 years, so I'm not speaking from the experience of a newbie. I don't doubt that a ball can get egg bound, but I would still wait a while. I think a vet might jump to conclusions and do something that isn't needed.

Based on a different previous snake vet visit, I agree 100% about clueless vets.

It was pretty obvious though, that for whatever reasons, Pebbles was not going to make it through this. I could tell yesterday morning that she was way too still. And when she had a dark tongue & was flipping her head over gasping for air at the vet's, it was clear she was done.

Chalk it up to a learning experience. A handful of people contacted me with eggbound stories, so I guess it's good to spread the word about this type situation.
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www.heatsherps.com

Here is a paragraph from someone's site. I hope I'm not stepping on toes by printing it. It just goes to show that because someone's first name is Dr. that they don't always know what they are doing, especially with reptiles,

  We eventually had a female start acting strange so we took her to a vet.  He spent a long time examining her, palpating her and running up a juicy bill, pumping her full of antibiotics and drugs.  He said she was sick and needed the heat turned up, regular antibiotics administered, etc.  The next day, she laid a clutch of 9 eggs that died within days.  That experience taught us a lot, and we decided to take matters into our own hands.

Mike

I just had one a couple weeks ago. Same as any other snake, large syringe through the stomach scales right into the egg and drain the egg out and let the snake pass the deflated shell.

I took Pebbles to the ER, where they had an exotics Dr. on call for us. Pebs was not moving. It was not a good scene. Her oviduct was severely twisted & scarred. No amount of probing could reach the egg. During the process she was turning her head upside down & gasping for air. Not fun to watch.

I had been checking her 3-4 times day prior to finding the first egg 2 nights ago. She was at the vet 24 hours after egg #1 was out. She had 5 good eggs, each 90-102 grams. No duds, no calcium, no egg issues. We euthanized her. I hope her eggs hatch & we get at least 1 normal girl like her. I feel terrible, but this one didn't end as I would have liked. Thank you for your advice & support.

RIP Pebbles
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www.heatsherps.com

That is hard to watch!

I'm sorry for your loss- and hope you do get a baby like her to remember her by- Pebs II.

Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue