Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well guys looks like I may have a female full of infertile eggs. It's the gal I posted concerns about awhile back that wasn't eating hardly anything. She's defineitely broaded out in the last 2 feet above her cloacha, she's slowed down substaintially. Still very alert but just doesn't have the flexibility she has 3 weeks ago. Have been in touch with the guy that sent to me & he assure's me she wasn't bred at all. This gal is almost 6 feet long with lots of girth so I'm not too worried about egg binding am thinkin of running her into the Vet for an X-ray to see whats there........ anybody have any thoughts on this??? Look forward to your comments.

Dean

Very interesting! Hope all goes well! I would definately take her in, if for no other reason than to know for sure what is going on. Once you know what the problem is,you can make a plan of action. Just make sure you find a good herp vet first. I have the name of a good web site you can use to find one. If you want it, e-mail me and I'll send it to you. Don't worry, I check it several times a day. Good luck, and keep us posted. I for one, am very interested to see how this turns out.
Tony.

This is not at all uncommon. Unfertile eggs are the ones you have to worry about binding. I don't think I've ever seen a snake bind on fertile eggs. Indigos, especially, are notorious for binding on infertile eggs.

You should be able to easily tell if it's eggs without a sonogram. Just hold her up so that her head is elevated over your head and support her with one hand about a foot or two behind her head and with the other hand support her by her tail so that her tail is a couple of feet lower than her head. Her body should then sag gently from one hand to the other (about like a telephone wire from pole to pole). Look at the ventral edge of her belly and you should (after a few seconds) see a series of lumps. You should actually be able to feel them if you just let her crawl through your hand.

like you said, there doesn't appear to be eggs in that I can't feel any or see any when I do the 'telephone wire' pose. Thats not to say their not there. At what point should I consider aspirating them once it's established that there ARE in fact eggs there.... would a shot of Oxitocin help things along???

Offered her a small meal yesterday & she wasn't the least bit interested. She DID pass the day old chick she ate this past Saturday so it would seem that part of her plumbing is OK.....

Thank for you suggestions.

Dean

Dean:

I would suggest looking for a vet that knows how to use ultrasound with reptiles.

Last year I had several females swell up and look gravid...and show all the tell tale signs of being gravid (refused food, etc)

Eventually they went back to a normal feeding mode...upon taking them for ultrasound I found 2 of the 3 had completely re-absorbed the ova, the third had re-absorbed all but one.

I waited several weeks and brought her back. This one single non-fertile egg still had not changed and at that point it had to be surgically removed.

We didn't really see much by x-ray...but the ultrasound showed us what we needed.

You said one of those females had sugery to remove an infertile egg. Will she be able to return to reproductive activity? Or is the jury still out on that one?
Tony.

I have a good reptile vet fortunately.

He mad e a very very tiny incision to remove the small infertile egg. He feels she will be able to reproduce again.

I gave her this year off...
She's all nice and fat now, we'll try next year.

Sounds good. Hope all is well! More reproduceing mamas is a good thing!
Tony.

Took her for an X-ray today got a good lateral taken of her & there appears to be something there but it looks very small & doesn't show up that clear on the X-ray...... problem is we DON'T have Herp Vet's here in this part of Canada.... in fact they know SO little about snakes period..... they didn't charge me for the visit OR the X-rays...... I think we may courier it to the Veteranary college in Ontario for an assesment.

I HOPE & pray she does reabsorb.... no other snaked has messed with my emotions like this thing. I've had her for 3 months now & she hasn't shed so I'll be interested in seeing what happens after a shed, I'll take some pics of her mid section if you like & post them.

Thanks for your concern...... yeah & NOW I know what to tell people when they ask why Indigos are so expensive...... to help recover the cost of my valium & prozac.... LOL

Have a good one.... will keep you posted... all you guys have been great... if any of you are going to be at Daytona.... I'll buy a round for the Dry-guys ;-o

Dean

I'M ACTUALLY DOING AN INDIGO TALK...

Hey, cool!! I'll be there.

The talk is for IHS, which is on the same weekend...same place.
Not sure what my time slot is yet.

I'll let you know...maybe we can hook up and do some snake hunting!

That sounds like a winner!

Refresh my memory,...when is daytona?
Tony.

with some Drymarchon folks while I'm down there. Be sure & post it in here a couple weeks before the show when & where you'll be doing your talk. Will you be have any live subjects on hand for your talk???

Dean

Nm

August 14th and 15th. We all need to figure out when and where to hook up.

Thanks for the Info. And please let me know when and where. I'll wear a unique shirt & a cap so you'll know it's me LOL! (ie. black shirt with a rattler on it and a 49ers baseball cap - unique combination!) - or better yet I WILL have my cell phone on me in case you have one. Then I could just call you . . . Whatever works!
BTW: did you check out my Indigo wrecker on the Kingsnake forum? Don't worry - just kidding. INDIGOS are still NO#1 !!!
hahahahaha!

Take care and hopefully we'll meet in August!!!

Zee