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Strange Eggs....
Some very weird eggs came today! They were from a Tangerine x Hybrid pairing (the hybrid is a Snow/Tangerine/White Oak Rat Snake mix).

They had small white bumps on them, and did not clump together like normal corn snake eggs. They were pinkish in color... here's a picture...

I put them in the incubator to see what happens, but no idea if they are any good! Has anyone seen anything like this before?

Also, before anyone asks, I candled them and almost all of them have clearly defined veins. A few were harder to see, but part of that is they were born just today and the white spots make it hard to see inside the egg.

They'll hatch just fine. I've had several zonata (CA mtn kingsnake) lay eggs like that, and all have hatched with no problem. It seems to be a weird shell calcification.

Mitch

Thanks! I had posted about it on cornsnakesource.com and got a response that it is called "snowflaking" and is excess calcium deposits, but should not affect hatch rate... that's a relief! It's the first time I've seen it - my other 8 clutches in the incubator that are all beautifully white and perfect, so this one clutch seemed very strange

That's an interesting soup your making. Please post some pics of the parents and the babies when they hatch. Good luck.

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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

Didn't mean to post that pic. I guess I accidently clicked the pic before i posted?
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

>>Strange Eggs....
>>Some very weird eggs came today! They were from a Tangerine x Hybrid pairing (the hybrid is a Snow/Tangerine/White Oak Rat Snake mix).
>>
>>They had small white bumps on them, and did not clump together like normal corn snake eggs. They were pinkish in color... here's a picture...
>>
>>I put them in the incubator to see what happens, but no idea if they are any good! Has anyone seen anything like this before?
>>
>>Also, before anyone asks, I candled them and almost all of them have clearly defined veins. A few were harder to see, but part of that is they were born just today and the white spots make it hard to see inside the egg.
>>

they should be fine
I've seen eggs like this before. hatched fine.
I think I read that some say this is do to a possible calcium deficiency.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

I second the calcium deficiency. I used to see the same thing in gecko eggs until I switched to a better way to supplement.

I'd echo what the others said, but add that those flakes seem to be typical for obsoleta clutches (also racers), so I think they may result from the genetic influence of the gray rat in the mix....
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

Breeder of:
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Locality Alterna
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Locality Spotted Turtles

Thanks for the info Someone else on another forum also mentioned they get it in a rat snake hybrid they breed too. Since the Tangerine is already carrying Mexican Rat Snake genes, and the hybrid carries both Mexican Rat Snake and White Oak Rat Snake, i think maybe the strangeness of the "soup" caused the "snowflaking". I have a female hybrid of the same genetics, but she was too small to breed this year, so I won't be able to see if she produces "snowflakes" too. Can't wait to see what kind of strangeness pops out of those eggs!

Whoops! I meant to say Mexican Cornsnake, not Mexican Rat Snake lol... must have rat snake on the brain...