Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have an alterna that was bred in the late spring around May 15th and then reintroduced for a couple days two weeks later just to be sure they got it right. On June 8th she shed, and on June 14th she laid 14 eggs, 13 of which are good. About two weeks after she laid the eggs she looked gravid again. Day before yesterday she shed again, and last night she started laying eggs again. There were two in there this morning and I would guess another 10 to come. the first two looked like slugs to me but I did not take her out to look in the egg box yet so I can't be 100% sure.

Have you guys had snakes retain sperm? Or lay a second clutch of slugs out of the blue?

One interesting thing I think is that she shed well before she started laying last year and the first clutch this year, and this second clutch she shed only a day or two before.

Some thoughts please?

Thanks,
Tom Anderson

Tom I don’t have any real experience with alterna however my coastals will double clutch without the benefit of a second breeding if their weight is good after the initial lay. If the female has not been bred most but not all eggs turn out to be slugs. From my experience the answer to your question would be that sometimes sperm is retained but not in quantities to ensure high fertility.

I don’t like to double clutch my coastals as adults they typically start shutting down pretty early in the season feeding wise. To prevent double clutching I tend to keep them on the thin side so that they don’t have the reserves after the initial lay to go a second time. This way I can ensure a slow but stead weight gain for the rest of the feeding season so they’ll be good to go the next year.

This wasn’t asked but IMHO if a female is judged to have sufficient weight that she is likely to lay a second clutch, it’s best to breed her a second time as in my experience more trouble is encountered when laying slugs than when laying fertile eggs.

I had a huge glades rat that was VERY heavy.It seemed the only way I could get her to take off wieght would be to lay eggs...What an animal,she would produce over 100 babies a year!Jeff

She just dropped two slugs the day after she shed, so I am thinking that she may have some fertile eggs in her after all. In my limited experience, when they have slugs they are laid less than the average time after the-lay shed.

I will keep you posted.

You are right about introducing them for a second copulation if they still have weight. Going forward I will definately do this. And also, this particular female will go on a little diet before brumation this fall if she still looks rebust.

Thanks again for your help!
ta