Reptile & Amphibian Forums

That a female bred in February can retain sperm long enough to lay her eggs in July? My female is definately lumpy and has refused food and has shown all the signs of being gravid and shed her skin yesterday. Is it possible that she is waiting to lay?

Yep. They can hold sperm for over a year. She's either gravid, or just ovulating to annoy you!

Assume she's gravid, give her a laying box and you'll find out in the next few weeks.

Good luck!

Thank you Kel, you answered me before (and I really appreciate it too). I just want eggs from this girl so bad. She is an amel bloodred and so bright, almost neon! I bred her to a bloodred. Both are possible hets for motley.

Not surprised you're keen to breed her, she sounds stunning - any chance of a pic? Motley in the mix should give those colours a whole new dimension.

I would love to post a pic and show her off...I just dont know how!
She came out of a pair of normals I was boarding for a friend.
The deal was, I keep his snakes a year while he gets settled (new home, new job etc) and in return I can keep or sell any offspring they produce. Boy was I ever surprised!!! I later found out that those snakes were the parents of an amel motley/stripe he gave me 2 years before.

I know that other species of snakes can hold sperm for over a year, and I know that there is some anecdotal evidence of corns holding back sperm deposits for a second clutch in a season. However I am unaware of any corn snake ever holding back sperm from one season to the next.

Do you have any referrences to cite for that, by chance?

Thanks in advance for your help on this!

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Darin Chappell
Hillbilly Herps
PO Box 254
Rogersville, MO 65742

Sorry Darrin, that was just "received wisdom"... or not, as the case may be!

I've occasionally seen it given as an answer, when a pair of Corns unexpectedly produce offspring that are logically impossible morphs from that particular combo.