Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok...my 1998 female ghost (that was sold to the person we bought her from as a proven breeder) is definately going to lay eggs sometime soon. She shed on the 7th and has been in the box we provided for her for the past two days. No eggs yet, although I can see bulges in her tail that I'm assuming are eggs since she has refused food since the 25th. We haven't had her out since she's shed so as to minimize stress on her. Am I being paranoid that she hasn't lain her eggs yet? I've heard from 7-14 days after she sheds she'll lay but read that 10 is closer to normal. I just want to know when to start worrying and take her to the vets if need be. I moved her water dish closer as well as I haven't seen her move for two days (I swear she's in the same position in the box). Someone just tell me I'm being paranoid. Anywho...that's my question for now.

~Katie
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JK Pets - Online Pet Supplies

2.1 Cornsnakes (Slink, Shadow, Suzie)
0.3 Leopard Geckos (Cutie, Lily, and Miss Piggy)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Sam)
0.2 Pac Man Frogs (Gordito and Spud)
1.2 Suriname Toad (Squishy & the Squishettes)
0.0.2 Giant Millipede (Mega & Mila)
0.0.1 Green Iguana (Iggy)
lots of snails and fish...

I wouldn't worry until a full 14 days after her shed. She'll likely lay in a few days, if she's hanging out in her egg box.

I would take out her water dish, and only offer it to her for a short period of time, a few times a day, if I were you. I don't know why, but some females will lay their eggs in water, rather than in the nesting substrate. Nothing more frustrating and disappointing than breeding and all that goes into it, only to have the eggs drown!

Just a word to the wise...

Goodluck, and post pics of the babies in a couple months!

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Darin Chappell
Hillbilly Herps
PO Box 254
Rogersville, MO 65742

Well...after searching for pics online of gravid cornsnakes I'm not entirely sure she's gravid now...she hasn't eaten since Jan 25th (refused food again today), shed Feb 7th and has a lump closer to her vent...I'll try to post a pic later if I can get a good one. The pics I was looking at show definite signs of fattening up in the lower half of the female's body and I don't see that in her. Could it be because I see her on a daily basis? She was in with the male long enough to become gravid but I never actually saw them mate. Just to see what would happen I put them together for a few minutes today and immediately the male was crawling along her back...then he started exploring her nest box. I'm seriously confused right now...If she is gravid and I need to take her to the vets I'll do that but I also can't afford it really if she's not. Anyone know of any way to tell for sure? I could probably try to weigh her again tomorrow and see if she's gained weight (weighed her two days after she shed). I'm thinking that maybe I've goofed but I don't want to be wrong and have it hurt her. Suggestions are more than welcome...I'll try and get that good picture of her tail and another one of her from above if possible. Thanks so much!!!

~Katie

P.S. - if it turns out she's not gravid I can reintroduce her to the male that she's been away from for almost two weeks correct?
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JK Pets - Online Pet Supplies

2.1 Cornsnakes (Slink, Shadow, Suzie)
0.3 Leopard Geckos (Cutie, Lily, and Miss Piggy)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Sam)
0.2 Pac Man Frogs (Gordito and Spud)
1.2 Suriname Toad (Squishy & the Squishettes)
0.0.2 Giant Millipede (Mega & Mila)
0.0.1 Green Iguana (Iggy)
lots of snails and fish...

Here ya go...any input is appreciated...

~Katie
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JK Pets - Online Pet Supplies

2.1 Cornsnakes (Slink, Shadow, Suzie)
0.3 Leopard Geckos (Cutie, Lily, and Miss Piggy)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Sam)
0.2 Pac Man Frogs (Gordito and Spud)
1.2 Suriname Toad (Squishy & the Squishettes)
0.0.2 Giant Millipede (Mega & Mila)
0.0.1 Green Iguana (Iggy)
lots of snails and fish...

........
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Darin Chappell
Hillbilly Herps
PO Box 254
Rogersville, MO 65742

...was the last time the male was with her?

>>...was the last time the male was with her?

She was with the mail until she shed on the 7th and then they were put back together two weeks later. Someone at the reptile show suggested that because it was her first shed it could mean she's ready to mate now (neither were brumated - she arrived here this winter). Still hasn't eaten and I haven't observed them mating at all. Bump looks like it's gone down a little but I'm not positive. She's not constipated because she goes to the bathroom every time we try to feed her (in a dark rubbermaid container for at least 30 min). Any suggestions?

~Katie
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JK Pets - Online Pet Supplies

2.3 Cornsnakes (Slink, Shadow, Suzie, Snickers, Selena)
0.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa (Baby)
0.3 Leopard Geckos (Cutie, Lily, and Miss Piggy)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Sam)
0.2 Pac Man Frogs (Gordito and Spud)
0.1 Suriname Toad (Squishy & the Squishettes)
0.0.2 Giant Millipede (Mega & Mila)
0.0.1 Green Iguana (Iggy)
lots of snails and fish...

I saw the picture of the "swelling" after I asked that question. That appears to be what we call "hips" from overfeeding at some period of its life. It doesn't appear to be over weight now though. Those are there to stay. If they get much larger, it could render this snake incapable of breeding so don't overfeed it.

It's so rare to see just one follicle in a snake, that it's safe to say you never will. You'll see many or none. In the case of this one, the swelling is bilateral and adjacent to the pelvic girdle. In other words, not internal.

Fasting?: It should NOT be fasting this time of year if you're providing a place in the cage where it can hide between 80 and 85 degrees F. I think it's safe to presume that such a temperate zone does not exist in the cage OR the snake is ill. If such a temperate zone were available to the snake, it would not be fasting unless it is ill. If you know you can improve on the temperature, do that, but otherwise, find a competitent reptile vet and have it evaluated. Don't waste your $$ on a dog and pony vet. Those without a reptile resume mean well, but lack the experience to properly diagnose your snake and will systematically gain such experience at your expense.

Good luck and let us know the final outcome.

Here is a side view of a 34 inch long female that laid 11 eggs two days ago. This was taken the day before she laid, but she looked almost this obvious for weeks before laying.

Don
www.cornsnake.NET

South Mountain Reptiles

I saw the picture of the "swelling" after I asked that question. That appears to be what we call "hips" from overfeeding at some period of its life. It doesn't appear to be over weight now though. Those are there to stay. If they get much larger, it could render this snake incapable of breeding so don't overfeed it.

She didn't have those "hips" when we got her though and she's only eaten three times for us since we got her. I could probably try live but I don't want to have to because I'd like her to stay on f/t. She's definately not overweight. When we got her she was probably under 550 grams. When I weighed her on the 9th she was 572 grams so she definately gained weight.

Fasting?: It should NOT be fasting this time of year if you're providing a place in the cage where it can hide between 80 and 85 degrees F. I think it's safe to presume that such a temperate zone does not exist in the cage OR the snake is ill. If such a temperate zone were available to the snake, it would not be fasting unless it is ill. If you know you can improve on the temperature, do that, but otherwise, find a competitent reptile vet and have it evaluated. Don't waste your $$ on a dog and pony vet. Those without a reptile resume mean well, but lack the experience to properly diagnose your snake and will systematically gain such experience at your expense.

I know she shouldn't be fasting which is what I can't figure out. We haven't changed anything in her cage from when we got her (aka nothing's changed since she last ate for us). She's kept in the 3rd bedroom here which we keep between 74 and 78 degrees (almost all of our pets are in there) and there's a heat lamp above her cage so that she can thermoregulate. Plenty of hides and aspen for her to crawl around under so she feels secure. Tried to feed her again today and she was in the container for at least 6 hours uninterrupted. We even left the house so she couldn't hear us moving around - when we got back she was just sitting in there. She also deficated in there which I don't understand. She's done that every time we try to feed her. Between her and the new baby okeetee I got for my dad that won't eat it's been a fun week. I guess I'm going to have to call a vet in the area and scrape up the money somewhere (don't you love credit cards?). Anyone know any good herp vets around the Pittsburgh area? Actual city is California, PA but nobody's ever heard of that. Thanks!

~Katie
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JK Pets - Online Pet Supplies

2.3 Cornsnakes (Slink, Shadow, Suzie, Snickers, Selena)
0.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa (Baby)
0.3 Leopard Geckos (Cutie, Lily, and Miss Piggy)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Sam)
0.2 Pac Man Frogs (Gordito and Spud)
0.1 Suriname Toad (Squishy & the Squishettes)
0.0.2 Giant Millipede (Mega & Mila)
0.0.1 Green Iguana (Iggy)
lots of snails and fish...

I just wanted to thank you again for your help. I'm going to call a vet tomorrow - went to the reptile and amphibian vet website and found a few in Pittsburgh, probably about an hour away. I'll see what they say - thank goodness for credit cards

~Katie
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JK Pets - Online Pet Supplies

2.3 Cornsnakes (Slink, Shadow, Suzie, Snickers, Selena)
0.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa (Baby)
0.3 Leopard Geckos (Cutie, Lily, and Miss Piggy)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Sam)
0.2 Pac Man Frogs (Gordito and Spud)
0.1 Suriname Toad (Squishy & the Squishettes)
0.0.2 Giant Millipede (Mega & Mila)
0.0.1 Green Iguana (Iggy)
0.0.1 Yellow-Belly Slider (Tiny)
lots of snails and fish...

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

Thanks so much for your help...looks like she doesn't like mice or something...oh well...

~Katie
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JK Pets - Online Pet Supplies

2.3 Cornsnakes (Slink, Shadow, Suzie, Snickers, Selena)
0.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa (Baby)
0.3 Leopard Geckos (Cutie, Lily, and Miss Piggy)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Sam)
0.2 Pac Man Frogs (Gordito and Spud)
0.1 Suriname Toad (Squishy & the Squishettes)
0.0.2 Giant Millipede (Mega & Mila)
0.0.1 Green Iguana (Iggy)
0.0.1 Red Eared Slider (Tiny)
lots of snails and fish...