Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone. I was super excited this morning to see my 2nd clutch of the year on the ground, until I took another look. I'm pretty sure she's egg bound. She only dropped 3 eggs, and she's over 1500 grams total. However she still looks like she has another egg or two in her. Her tail section is still very big. Any ideas/help? This is the first time she's bred for me (I bought her unproven last year.) I dont' know what to do? I don't have a good snake vet near me (That I know of, I'm in SE MN). How long do I wait until I try and help her out myself? I've seen on here before of people taking a larger gauge needle and draining the egg that is blocking so it is easier to pass? Or do I wait a day or two. Sorry guys and gals I'm kinda freeking out...
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Coolluigi

1.0 Pastel
1.0 Yellowbelly
0.2 Normal
0.1 Spider
1.2 Het VPI Axanthic (Babies are getting bigger!!)
and soon to be more. *fingers crossed*

Give me a call at 519-824-7377 and I'll walk you through your options.

Corey

Hey Corey. I'll give ya a call in a few. I think I have my plan for now figured out. I'll probably leave her alone tonight and if she doesn't pass the rest of them by tomorrow morning I'll soak her in some warm water and try and massage a egg or two out of her. I found a good vet in town after some searching so I'm not panicing as much right now.
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Coolluigi

1.0 Pastel
1.0 Yellowbelly
0.2 Normal
0.1 Spider
1.2 Het VPI Axanthic (Babies are getting bigger!!)
and soon to be more. *fingers crossed*

So, what happened Cool?

Well, heres the deal. I left her alone last night just to give her some more time to pass them on her own. She didn't. I took her out today and soaked her in the water and tried to massage the eggs out of her. No luck. I know there is two eggs in her. I don't know what to do now. I didn't wanna like, push to hard when I was trying to rub the eggs out of her, I was worried I'd hurt her. Now what? I think there is a good herp vet near by and I'm waiting for her to call me back. What do you think I could do.
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Coolluigi

1.0 Pastel
1.0 Yellowbelly
0.2 Normal
0.1 Spider
1.2 Het VPI Axanthic (Babies are getting bigger!!)
and soon to be more. *fingers crossed*

When our lab had an eggbound hognose, they inserted a large gauge needle with a syringe attached through her abdomin into the egg and "drained" it. After that was drained we soaked her in warm water and watched constantly for the next 24 hours. She passed the punctured egg and the remaining two eggs in tact.

I would recommend discussing this with your vet, not trying to administer it yourself. It is only one option of many, I am sure. Basically, get her to a vet asap.
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1.1 ball pythons
1.1 kingsnakes
0.1 crazy cat
?.? ASFs
1.0 husband

The vet i talked to said give it a few more days??? i dunno bout that...
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Coolluigi

1.0 Pastel
1.0 Yellowbelly
0.2 Normal
0.1 Spider
1.2 Het VPI Axanthic (Babies are getting bigger!!)
and soon to be more. *fingers crossed*

....Tough call. I will let more experienced breeders of Ball Pythons step in here. I've never dealt with such a large, muscular snake. Perhaps the situation is not as delicate for them.
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1.1 ball pythons
1.1 kingsnakes
0.1 crazy cat
?.? ASFs
1.0 husband

Aspiration of an egg is not a difficult procedure as long as you maintain a cool head about it.

You will need an 18 gauge needle on a 5-10 cc syringe. Rubber gloves and some alcohol swabs would be good to have too. You are going for the egg nearest the cloaca, and you will insert the needle mid-sideline side of the snake into the egg (this means you are aiming for half-way through the middle of the snake). It is good to have a helper with you to help hold the snake. Hold the snake still and you are going to draw out on the plunger of the needle when you think the tip of the needle is sitting in the middle of the egg. You should see cloudy white liquid fill the syringe. If nothing comes, you are not in the right place so try again. Be certain to use an alcohol swab on the surface of the snake body before you begin and then again after you retreat. I would do just the first egg and then give a few days to see if the other eggs pass.

good luck!

Okay, should I do that now or wait a few days? She first laid her eggs wed night or thurs morning?
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Coolluigi

1.0 Pastel
1.0 Yellowbelly
0.2 Normal
0.1 Spider
1.2 Het VPI Axanthic (Babies are getting bigger!!)
and soon to be more. *fingers crossed*

did they drop down at all?
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Did you take the snake to a vet? If so, what did the vet say?

I do not recommend waiting too long. Today is Saturday, what is going on now....any eggs?

If nothing occurs by Monday, I would aspirate. Maybe the vet would do that for you?

Nothing has happened so far. I'm going to try to drain one of the eggs tonight and see what happens. I think I have a pretty good idea of how to do it. Keep your fingers crossed everybody! Thanks for the support.
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Coolluigi

1.0 Pastel
1.0 Yellowbelly
0.2 Normal
0.1 Spider
1.2 Het VPI Axanthic (Babies are getting bigger!!)
and soon to be more. *fingers crossed*

You may be able to safely wait a few days before intervening. See my post above, maybe try the calcium injection? It's a different scenario, but I hope it helps...
Paul