Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I have an egg bound female. Can anyone give me some tips. Please no arguments. I'm worried and care about her no really worried about the clutch health just want her to be ok. I've heard lube and taking fluid out of the egg via needle. I have very thin diabetic needles w alcohol wips. Please no pissing contests just help.
-Jon Rice

Without experience. Take her to a vet if you want to save her. You can't learn these things over the internet. Best bet.

I do agree with you, but many vets are not any good at this stuff. You have to get lucky.
Also, this method is easily learned.
As you know, its much easier to prevent and so much better on the female.

You have to use a very large gauge needle. I developed that method way back in the late sixties, early seventies. Go to a feed store, they have them for horses.
I would enter between the second scale row on the sides. Personally I think it may be more difficult with hogs as they tend to harden up their bodies. I never had to do it with hogs, but even palpating them is not so easy as with kings and other colubrids.
You isolate the egg between your fingers, but do not put to much pressure on the egg, you do not want it to rupture. Best wishs and all the luck and skill

Thanks a bunch guys. I'll let u know how it goes

Here is what I do and it works wonders. I agree with Frank that prevention is indeed key but there are the rare times that even when we do almost everything correctly, egg binding can still happen. it could be that we miss something in husbandry or even diet. Or it could be an abnormally large egg or eggs that block the path. It can also be a defect or damage in the oviduct. At any rate, it can happen.

I do not particularly like to use large gauge needles. I want to keep the puncture to the egg or eggs as small as possible to prevent any leakage and to lessen the very slight risk of infection. I will use a 21 gauge X half inch long needle in most cases but have successfully used a 32 gauge, although the process will take longer. It is a 2 person job so be sure you have an extra hand to help you out.

All you need to do is locate the problematic eggs and keep it secured. You will then make your puncture in the midsection of the egg going through the second and third lateral scale rows. The stick will be very easy to do so be sure not to apply too much pressure. You do not want to go too deep. Using short needles will be best for egg aspiration.

I try not to totally drain eggs. I opt to remove about 3cc from the egg. After aspiration I have noticed that most females will start to contract and start the process of laying again. I have seen females finish laying within a couple of hours of aspiration and some go as long as 3 days.

Here are a couple of pics.

Thanks Greg for the input

I do use a bigger syringe, and if I can remember, its been forever since I had to do that, a 28 gauge needle. I agree, I pull out about 1/3 of the yolk and as you mentioned, they normally pass that egg and any others behind it quickly.
We agree on the reasons for egg binding, and in all cases, dehydration is the primary cause. But causes dehydration is another question. With the most common answer being the eggs are held to long. Also as you mention, this can and a cumulative reaction. What occurs is the eggs adhere to the oviduct and can cause infections. These heal and leave scare tissue, which causes future problems.
I have never had a problem with yolk leakage causing a problem. I suppose it could occur. I have to say, snakes are pretty tuff. Once I was asked and did perform surgery on a gophersnake from the ASDM. A mouse had burrowed into in body and was living there. Yea, I know. I removed the mouse, cleaned it out, sewed it up and the dang snake lived. Got me, but it did.

That is WILD! Never heard anything like that!

reako45

When I started doing this procedure, I was yelled at and attacked much like these days when I do things folks think is odd. Vets and all, made lots of noise.
But within a couple of years, vets took to that method and made it a normal procedure.
In those days, and sometimes still today, they cut the snake open and remove the oviduct ruining the snakes ability to reproduce. Back then there was no consideration for or study on reproductive medicine. As few folks bred snakes. It was a method based on morph breeding. For instance, it made no sense to neuter the only albino in existence. So need again allowed for invention. All in all, I have come up with many many methods and inventions for herps. Do I think I am different then others, not so much. My ability to do so is based on focus. I simply do not pay attention to distracting influences. Which is why lots of folks do not like me. Its not that I do not like or respect people. Its simple, folks say all and everything, from accurate to not. If you listened them, you would not get anywhere. Yet they all want you to listen. The key is, take what is important and apply it. In other words, do it. pt 1

Take the axanthics. I was told about one that was found in 07. Several folks looked for more since that time. taking hundreds of poor(normal) hogs, hoping for a recessive. I was told of the general area. within a year and a half, I found 7. and what I am most happy about, I found one in the field hiking. how did I do it. As nice and as good of field herpers those folks were, I did not listen to them or approach it in the way they did. I studied the hogs and worked it. I did not hunt like they did or at the times they did, or use the methods they did. I watched hognose and let them tell me. And they did. Please understand, it was not about axanthics. They were only motivation to study hogs and hogs are very different and interesting, compared to many other species in the field. Did I pea off those friends, of course. Folks do not like others to be successful. Just look at all the haters of Lebron James. That's life, when you show some talent, there are a few that help you develop, and many that want to hinder and the rest do both. This place is no different then anywhere else.