Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I hate to sound like a novice, but when it comes to breeding snakes, my experience limited to one female I used to have. She laid eggs two years in a row with absolutely no problems.

The female I have now (see my other posts below) laid one egg yesterday. She obviously has more inside as they are easy to see and feel. Today she has been out of her lay box, and has not laid any more. How soon should I be concerned?
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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

Corn snakes tend to lay their eggs 10 days after shedding. They also tend to lay eggs all at one sitting. If individual eggs are layed more than a day before or after the main clutch is deposited (typically 10 days after shedding) then those eggs are almost always infertile. It is not unusual for snakes to drop individual, infertile eggs prior to having their main clutch.

Tim

Tim, based on my memory of what good eggs look like, the one she laid on Sunday is good. She does seem to have settled down again in her lay box, so I will try not to worry. Thanks.
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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

don't want to be the negative voice here but the ordeal of the trip to the vet while she was still laying may have interupted hey laying instincts or her dialation. Has she laid those other eggs yet?
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

I came home today to find that my hypo stripe had laid 6 more eggs, but part of her insides (her oviduct?) had come out with the next egg. The egg was completely covered by the tissue. Before we left for the vet, she passed two more, but the oviduct was still hanging out.

By the time we got her to the vet, she laid two more eggs. The vet was able to push the oviduct back inside. He said "if you do it right, it goes back in easily. If you are doing it wrong, it won't easily push back in."

He gave her an injection of calcium gluconate, saying that if she is calcium depleted, the smooth muscle relaxes too much, and that might be what caused the problem.

She is back in her nest box, and still has several eggs left inside.

Now I wait to see if she is able to finish laying them.

So far I have 11 eggs incubating (including the one she laid on Sunday).

Has anyone had this happen? Sorry for the long post.
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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

She has laid 15 good eggs, and prolapsed twice. I have her back home now, but she has not laid any more eggs for over 24 hours, although there are more eggs in her. I guess I'll just leave her alone and see what happens. These trips to the vet are getting expensive!

I'm supposed to give her oral antibiotics, but I think I ended up with more on me than down her throat. I hate to stress her more by handling her.

I am considering euthanizing her if she prolapses again, but I welcome any feedback or suggestions.

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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

That pic was taken during one of her excursions outside last summer. Her colors were very bold in the partial sunlight.
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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

Don't give up yet even if she prolapses again. It could go backin by itself. The Vet probably should have tried to get the remainding eggs out while you were there. Many times when a snake in interrupted and stops laying she will retain the remainder. It's like the window of laying closes. I'm sorry you are having such a bad experience with you Corn. I had one that had a little bit of a prolapsed Oviduct and it retracted by it'self. Try to get her to eat at least a couple small fuzzies if she will to help her regain her strength and hope for the best. She will most likely retain the eggs, but who knows? I have a Thayeri with a few eggs in her from last year and I am hoping she'll pass them this time around.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

She layed another egg last night without prolapsing. So that is progress. Still a few in her though. I offered a fresh killed fuzzy yesterday, but she wouldn't take it.

I am inclined to not try to give her the meds today, just to not stress her, and see if she will keep laying.

Time will tell. So far 16 eggs, and they all look good. I am incubating them in damp sphagnum moss at about 80 degrees.

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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

Well I know it's not consolation but at least you have some good eggs from her if she should not make it. But There is still hope! If she laid another egg that is a good sign.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra