Reptile & Amphibian Forums

One of my eggs hatched this morning with a tiny bit of yolk still attached. It's probably my smallest neonate so far. The yolk sac has vermiculite stuck to it.

I took a fresh deli cup and put a small amount of plain bottled water in it, and put him in the deli cup. Is that the right thing to do?

He started pipping on the 2nd - so far is the one that took the longest from pip to emerging (one more is pipping now), but I guess that wasn't long enough to fully absorb it, I guess because he is so small.
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I decided my old sig was too big.

I think it would be better to have a clean moist paper towel in there than to have shallow standing water.
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in the light, you will find the road...

I agree with the moist paper towel idea.. If all goes right it should fall off in a day or so.

Good luck and happy 4th to all!

~ Mike Russo

What I'm worried about is that a moist paper towel is still abrasive, and won't keep the whole sac wet - only the part touching the paper towel. I'm also worried he'll crawl under it resulting in the sac in direct contact with the deli cup instead of the paper towel.

Also I think the paper towel won't be as effective in getting the vermiculite off of the yolk sac.
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I decided my old sig was too big.

part of the problem of having a small snake sitting in water with an opening into their abdominal cavity is the potential for an osmotic shift to occur, either too much fluid is going to go in or too much water is going to go out. either way, it is a delicate balancing act for a teeny creature, one you really can't control. Unfortunately I had it happen before to a hatchling. Another problem could be infection, unless you continually keep the water clean. At this point it is more likely that what is inside the yolk sac will be absorbed, but the sac will likely crust over and eventually fall off. it will probably have a small ventral scar that will heal over.

IMO Keeping the snake in a moist but not wet enclosure will probably be its best bet.

let us know how you do.

daveb
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in the light, you will find the road...

this happened to me!!! my first cal king came out and pushed the 2nd cal king out... the 2nd had a LOT of yolk left. (its happened to a few of my corns too)
what i do is i get the baby and wash the vermiculite off the whole snake and yolk(very softly and a semi-warm water temp) after all the vermiculite is off or most of it... i put the baby in a moistened. almost wet deli cup with paper towels. usually i put just enough to crinkle and come up the sides and enough that the baby can crawl under. usually in a day or 2 the yolk falls off and the belly is healed.
~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, A pair of Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, a Snapping Turtle, and a White Cheeked Mud Turtle

Thanks - I'm changing the water every 12 hours, and will probably go to a damp paper towel after 36 hours if it has not been absorbed or fallen off.

With the other 9 in the clutch - 6 have now fed (f/t), so getting this one to eat once the yolk situation is resolved should hopefully be fairly easy, as it apparently is more important to get these ones to feed somewhat quickly when they don't absorb their sac before emerging (kathy love corn book).
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I decided my old sig was too big.

He or she is now deceased.
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I decided my old sig was too big.

aww i['m sorry for your loss
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, A pair of Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, a Snapping Turtle, and a White Cheeked Mud Turtle