Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click for ZooMed
Click here to visit Classifieds

Am I a flake, or just obsessed

ecb Jan 10, 2004 05:36 PM

I decided to change the texture of the substrate that is in the tank, so I got some Coir Fiber, and some Gypsum, and some Quicklyme.
I took out one of the branches, and moved the others around as I needed too (while this Dragon or that one was on them at times) and layered some reptisand, some Coir, then some of the claylike soil, then Gypsum over the clay soil, then more Coir, Calcisand, etc. I finished it all off with a thin layer of Lyme, then misted it well to soak the Lyme down.
When i was digging in the area Erowen was digging when she dropped her eggs last time, I FOUND THEM

There are 16 of them, 3 are dimpled, the rest are QUITE plump.
one of them is HUGE, big as a grape Tomato, twice as big as the smallest one (and I mean almost twice as wide, twice as long, etc)
I put them in some wet Perlite, in a ziplock container, and just put it in the tank like a food dish, but with a cover on it (to keep the moisture in)
I figure the temps will be perfect, and I will not forget to look at them

I wonder if they would have been ok, had I left them alone?
-----
Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

Replies (3)

zrho Jan 12, 2004 03:15 PM

By default, being a herper makes you a flake, and the hobby is an obssession. You're in good company.

Best of luck with this batch of eggs. I'm hoping I can get the next one right when/if Daisy clutches again.

FroggieB Jan 14, 2004 01:26 PM

I replied to Elizabeth (ecb)via email on this but would like to share my answer with all of you in case this ever comes up for anyone else.

So, here it is:
If one of the eggs is significantly larger than the others that is a good sign that something is growing in it. The eggs do get larger as the babies develop. Not all of the eggs seem to develop at the same rate just as the babies, or any other species babies, all seem to grow at their own rate.

Because of the one egg being larger I feel good about this clutch too! ; )

I will have to take some pics of my eggs that are now cooking. I have some less than a week old and others that are 4 months old. If you look at the size difference between the clutches it is incredible. I would have to say that most of the eggs in a clutch are usually about the same size but there are exceptions as with anything. I had one clutch were only 4 eggs made it
and at hatching one was almost as large as a quarter while the smallest was barely larger than a dime. All hatched and the babies were very comparable.

I don't know for sure if the light will bother them. It isn't natural for them to incubate in the light but I doubt that it would harm them either as long as they aren't in direct bright light and the temps are good.

As for the orientation of the eggs, I have been told that when the eggs develop the yolk is on the bottom and the embryo is on top. If the egg is rolled over the baby will virtually drown in or be crushed by the yolk. I choose not to test this although my husband, not knowing the tub in our bathroom closet contained eggs, knocked a tub of eggs all over the bathroom.

I hadn't marked the eggs so had to trust nature to keep them safe. Later that month we moved them from Omaha NE to Chamberlain SD. I am pleased to say that all of the eggs made it. So in spite of being tossed around the bathroom and then being bounced around for several miles the eggs/babies weren't damaged. So, although I've been told that this is critical with most snake eggs I am not sure how vital it is with our babies. I think perhaps not so critical but I feel it is still a safer bet to not mess with them too much.

Last night I got home to find that my littlest WC lady, Skywalker, had finally laid her clutch. I interrupted her dirt packing to remove the eggs and found 16. Of the 16, 3 were hard, rubbery and shrunken. 13 looked possibly good but 2 or 3 of them were very soft and slightly dented in like they aren't quite full. She laid the eggs in what was virtually mud so I gave them a quick rinse to get some of the mud off prior to placing them in their tubs and marking them. While removing the mud I found #17 which was simply an empty shell! So, talk about weird clutches!

I have never seen such a thing. I had been really concerned about her not laying the eggs. She looked ready for much longer than I would have liked. She seemed to be half-hearted about digging at first, didn't soak, and didn't eat. She was very dark and just didn't look right. She has only produced eggs once before 2 years ago when she laid an infertile clutch so I was sort of concerned that something may be wrong. I can't explain the hard eggs or the empty shell but am really grateful that she finally laid this clutch. I am also glad to report that she ate 2 full sized nightcrawlers this morning. So, weird clutches just happen! And I don’t think we have seen “it all” yet!
-----
Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

ecb Jan 14, 2004 03:24 PM

I was going to ask if I could post the Email myself
but was waiting to have some free time
-----
Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

Site Tools