Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For the last 2 years each of my 2 corns were egg bound but with only one egg. I'm i doing something wrong? Both are well kept and fed before during and after breeding season. I'm gonna have my vet friend asperate the egg for me. Any advice?

A snake that is kept in too small a cage or is too heavy will tend to get egg bound and if you have had this problem consistently I would look into these two things. One of the snakes most active time is when hunting, the chase of the food and strike and constricting is all part of what keeps a snake healthy and active. If you snakes just pick up their f/t mice and start to swallow with out any other activity then maybe it is time to work them out a bit. I use 11” hemostats to make my corns chase their food and once they strike I still use the hemostats to fight with them so they constrict the prey. This way they get some activity and keep using their muscles. I know it may seem dumb but they work for their food and it amuses me in the meantime, the get pretty good at chasing too LOL (take out the water bowl before you start, they may knock it over during the chase) The other problem is being over weight (sure I’m one to talk) but it’s true many people will feed heavily their snakes during breeding season and this will cause extra weight to be added making it harder for the snake to lay. Also stop feeding the snake (if the snake has not stopped on her own) about two weeks prior to what you figure her pre-lay shed is going to be. This will give you 10-14 day before the shed, 10 days during the shed (pre-lay shed are normally extended) and 10 days after the shed for the female to thin down a bit and have a clear digestive track before laying. If there is a mouse waiting to come out the same time the eggs are… well there is only so much room inside there. Once the snake has laid her eggs, try and start to feed her the next day. She may not wish to eat until after her post lay shed but try anyway. Then go back to a heavy feeding schedule for a few weeks every 5 days or so, so she will gain back her lot weight. She might lay a second clutch in 60 days and will need the food to help develop the new eggs. Once she goes into her second pre-lay shed stop feeding again until she has laid her eggs again. During this time a re-introduction with the male corn will be help full to keep up fertility in the second clutch of eggs.
I hope this helps a bit
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Jim Hopkins "Hoppy"
Hopkins Holesale Herps
Hopfam1@aol.com