Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello. I have a female Brook's that is about to drop eggs any day now. She shed on May 31 (although it could have been a day or two earlier as I was out of town). So she is at least at 19 days, maybe more. This is the first year I've bred her (or really any getula in a long time) and my others (grey bands, corns, rat snakes) tend to lay their eggs around 10-14 days after shedding. So this seems like a long time to me. Does this seem normal to you guys? She does spend time in her nest box but not for long. Mostly she is under it. Then she will curl up in it and I think she's about to lay but the next time I check on her she's under it again.

thanks for any help.

I have seen my females lay fertile clutches anywhere between 7 and 21 days after the pre shed. It gets a little nerve racking getting on into the longer waits but if she is not in distress things should be OK. some suggestions:
- confirm that she IS gravid. I have made that mistake before. check breeding/shedding records,feel for eggs, offer a small meal (usually end of term females will refuse the meal). maybe it's time to breed now (?).
-small bowl of fresh water ( small so she doesn't choose that as the nest site).
- check the nest box. fluff the nesting material, check that it is not too dry/wet. also check to see if it is too warm inside. I try not to put the nest box on/under the heat source.
-moderate temps not too hot/too cold.
-if she is in a separate enclosure, cover the viewing area with a blanket/towel/etc. If she is in a rack system rig up a system so the front is obscured.
-don't check on her more than once a day. very hard to do sometimes, but is good for her "mental state of security". if she's in a rack, leave the other animals in the rack system alone as well (check once a day)to eliminate excessive vibrations during this sensitive period.
-if she shows signs of distress, check with your vet.
-take notes of what you do and the end results so you have references if it occurs again.

Keep inquiring and get as much good info from as many sources as possible.
Best of luck

daveb

Thanks for you reply. Those are all good suggestions. For the most part I think things are ok. I'm pretty sure she's gravid--she bred MANY times with the male and is very large posteriorily. She did eat a small mouse the other day which made me wonder of course. But she's always had a ravenous appetite. She is showing interest in the nest box so I'm hoping everything's cool. I do try not to bug her too much, but you're right, it's hard

>>Thanks for you reply. Those are all good suggestions. For the most part I think things are ok. I'm pretty sure she's gravid--she bred MANY times with the male and is very large posteriorily. She did eat a small mouse the other day which made me wonder of course. But she's always had a ravenous appetite. She is showing interest in the nest box so I'm hoping everything's cool. I do try not to bug her too much, but you're right, it's hard

Mike,

Ovulating females are also very large posteriorly. Has her swelling moved down closer to the cloaca since she shed? Can you feel--heck, count--eggs? That feeding response is real suspicious to me. Do others feel that way about it?

terry

Last year my Apalachicola King was deceiving me. I wasn't sure if she was gravid. After her pre-lay shed I gave her a thumped full grown mouse, just to see if she would eat it, as a sort of way to see if she was gravid or not. She ate the mouse (her largest meal to that point in time) and then six days later she laid 8 beautiful eggs. So I think that the eating of a meal is not the most accurate way to be sure if a snake is not gravid.
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~Sasheena

I do that "test" all the time, try to feed a female after her pre-lay shed, but there always exceptions-to-the-rule.

I had a female cal king that NEVER did a pre-shed before she laid her eggs - frustrating because of the timing of removing the water dish.

Also, putting a lay box into a cage is not a good indicator of being gravid as most snakes (male & female) will use it whether or not they (females) plan on using it to lay eggs.

But most of my gravid females do go off feed before they lay eggs and a few eat right up till it's time

Kerby...

Good post,you have it down.

Question; Second cluch of season;
Does the snakes ( AZ. king and Cal kings )usually do a preshed before ovulating again. How long do people usually wait to introduce the female to the male after first cluch.
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rbichler