I have several ratsnakes in the same tank, the oldest of which is about 2 1/2 years old. When I went to feed them tonight I found 4 eggs in the hide box. I know I have a male and a female in the tank (2 are unsexed), but I have not hibernated them and have not noticed the smell the females give off when they are ready to breed. The eggs are slightly shriveled looking, from what I can tell they do not look like they contain babies. Do the females sometimes lay eggs when they haven't bred? Also, two of the snakes are siblings and slightly nasty as it is, I don't think I want them to produce offspring together. Is there any chance of this occurring if I don't set up the exact breeding conditions specified in books? Any help would be great.
-----
2.1 Leucistic Texas Ratsnakes
0.1 Great Plains Ratsnake
1.1 Cornsnakes
1.0 Chinese Beauty
0.0.1 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Giant Black Millipedes
0.0.1 Giant Brown Millipede
0.0.2 Pink-Legged Millipedes
0.0.5 Fire-bellied Newts
0.0.1 Peacock Eel
0.4 Cats
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.
Unfertilized eggs???
Replies (1)
1) If the eggs are white and shrivelled they are fertile eggs that have been dehydrated for a while. If they are slightly yellow or brown they are infertile.
2) Female rat snakes can hold on to sperm for a year and produce more than one clutch of eggs.
3) If you don't want your snakes breeding together it's best not to keep them together. Certain conditions are known to be ideal for breeding but rat snakes are known for being flexible.
4) If you don't want your eggs put them in the freezer for a while before you pitch them.
