Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I thought about posting this in the rehab or rescue forum, but I believe you folks will be of the most help. Long story short, I found a freshly killed Western Foxsnake today. A mature gravid female. Two eggs were destroyed, I cut the other two out. I have never dealt with snake eggs before. Only turtles and lizards. What should they look like (if good) and what temperatures should I incubate at? Thank you in advance. I can post pictures when I have more time. Thanks again.

Steve

From what I have read snake eggs usually do not survive if removed from a dead female. But I would say to set them up on some damp vermiculite with some damp sphagnum moss on top of them @ 80 degrees. You can candle them with a small mag lite in a darkened room to look for a vein system.

I would be VERY interested in the info on this subject.

I know for sure you can rescue turtle eggs from a dead turtle.

My friend James Alexander and I where once driving down a road by a good sized lake in New Jersey and we saw the car in front of us clip and kill a female painted turtle whom we believe came up to the high ground by the edge of the road to deposit her eggs.

He cut out 4 little eggs and incubated them at 82/84 degrees and hatched out 4 little perfect turtles!!!

We brang them back to the lake and released them. It was a very rewarding experience for him to salvage those eggs. They obviously would have perished along with that turtle if he was not so adamant about salvaging them. I was not very optimistic and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

I remember at the time he was cutting out the hind leg to get the eggs he was asking me if I thought they would hatch out. I was like hum mm not sure only one way to find out.

I have not read of any such success with snakes however, quite the contrary in fact, so I would be interested in these eggs and some pic's when you get a chance to post some.

>>I thought about posting this in the rehab or rescue forum, but I believe you folks will be of the most help. Long story short, I found a freshly killed Western Foxsnake today. A mature gravid female. Two eggs were destroyed, I cut the other two out. I have never dealt with snake eggs before. Only turtles and lizards. What should they look like (if good) and what temperatures should I incubate at? Thank you in advance. I can post pictures when I have more time. Thanks again.
>>
>>Steve
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Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
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Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.

I too have hatched eggs taken from dead mother turtles-but multiple attempts to do the same with snake eggs have all ended in failure. I don't think it will work.
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....