Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can somebody please help! This is my first clutch of eggs. 2 days ago, she laid 7 and there is obviously 1 left 3/4 to 1 inch up. What to I do? Is there anything I can do? How long do I need to wait before I get really worried?

Thanks!

David

>>Can somebody please help! This is my first clutch of eggs. 2 days ago, she laid 7 and there is obviously 1 left 3/4 to 1 inch up. What to I do? Is there anything I can do? How long do I need to wait before I get really worried?
>>
>>Thanks!
>>
>>David
David,

First of all, tell us how many days after her shed she laid the two eggs: sometimes a few eggs (usually slugs) are deposited early, and until she's gone 10 days or so after the shed, the remaining egg(s) can't be considered "late".

Second, it's a good thing that the egg is so far down the oviduct. The chances are that if you simply push against it with your thumb, middle of the belly pushing gently toward the cloacal opening, the egg will slide out. This is called "expressing" the egg. You don't shove, no sudden pushes, just put some pressure on the egg on the end opposite the opening, and hold that pressure. Often females will first contract their muscles and the egg's held in place, but as you maintain the pressure and she relaxes, it'll slowly slide to the vent. Sometimes they simply "pop" out once the opening gets spread some by the egg. Other times it's useful to take needle nose pliers or something similar and simply grip the egg and pull it out. At this point, it's not important, i don't think, to worry about "saving" the egg (someone may offer new information to change my opinion on that) but generally i figure it's a success if you even pierce the egg once it is exposed, and then pull it out.

IMPORTANT NOTE: sometimes some white tissue that is NOT the end of the egg pushes out of the opening when you're try8ing to express an egg--I think it's the closed end of the oviduct, but i'm not a reptile anatomist. The important thing is, do NOT go pulling anything out with needle nose pliers until you are SURE that what you're seeing poking out of the cloacal opening IS the end of an egg, and not some other tissue. OK?!!

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

terry

This might be a little unorthodox, but here's what I've done with my eggbound colubrids:

At first, I would take them to the vet, get oxytocin (it doesn't often help). Now, I up their temps a bit, keep them confined in an egg box and soak them for an hour twice a day. Every single female has eventually passed her eggs and proceeded with her normal life, and most go on to lay healthy clutches later. I understand this doesn't always apply, but it's worked for me. I think the key is to make sure they are hydrated and give them space.

This season, so far I've only had one female bind on me...a honduran, she bound with 3 eggs left inside and she took 5 days to pass them, but she's her voracious self once again.

good luck!

K. Royer

Thanks to all for the advise! Tonight my wife and I helped her lay her final egg! The whole clutch was at least 2 weeks after the pre-lay shed, but all off the eggs came out white and healthy looking, even the last one. It was a very slow process. It seemed like it took forever! We wouldn't of tried this without the advise you guys gave us. Thanks!!!

David and Mafie