Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am having a problem with my female mexican black king (L getula nagritis).

Last year and this year I cooled her with all my other breeding projects (variable kings (thayeri) and some TX rats (lindheimeri) all of whom bred properly, became gravid, had a prenatal shed and laid. She, appeared to breed properly, appeared to become gravid, appeared to have her prenatal shed at the right time but then....never laid any eggs.

Last year I simply waited and she eventually lost th egravid look and i resumed feeding he rnormally. I took her to a vet who found nothing abnormal and even located follicles with a sonogram.

This year she appeared to get gravid before I even put her with the male (he's very aggressive and I had to wait for him to become receptive to her otherwise, he'd eat her despite being the same size as her) They appeared to breed successfully over the course of several days, I seperated them and about 30 day slater she went into shed. But its now almost 30 days since her shed and NO EGGS.

She eats normally (I am not feeding her atm as I am expectign her to lay). She deficates and uriates normally. She did test positive for worms last summer and I wormed her then and this spring before breeding with fenbendazol (sp?) I provided her with an opaque tupperware lay box just like all my other king snakes use (filled with moist papertowels)

I can feel what seem to be eggs in her midbody (although none near her anal plate) I am debating taking her back to the vet for another sonogram but all that will tell me is whether there's something in there (viable or not) or if it's just fluid.

Does anyone here have any idea what would cause her to appear to be pregnant? If she is pregnant is there some reason she would not lay? Is she reabsorbing the eggs?

I'd appreciate some opinions from experienced breeders before I go spend more money on her.

An experienced breeder I am not

You mentioned that you palpated eggs, which is a good sign. Snakes may resorb ova prior to becoming shelled, but rarely, if ever, after. Things that may attribute to resorption are a lack of nutrition/calories, stress, and less likely a parasitic burdon. Parasites often migrate throughout the body at various stages of their lifecycle. This may be interfering with the reproductive cycle. I wonder if the lack of cooler side to the thermal gradient may be a factor? You seem very experienced with the species you keep, so none of what I mentioned really seems to be a probably cause. Unfortunately there is always the unknown factor. Oftem times in vet med we know what happens, but not why.

If this season proves to be a failure, I would suggest retiring the female for one or more seasons and perhaps trying another male when you resume.

Good luck!
Ian