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Emergency Post!

Q

quidamphx

New member
I apologize for not reading the threads already posted here but I'm in a bit of a panic/quick decision mode and need some help.

So my two corns (approx 3 years old, 3-4ft long) have been living together without issue for 2 years. I thought they were both male, however I hadn't seen the one snake for a few days and decided to investigate.

She's (SHE!) is in the corner wrapped around a bunch of eggs. Totally unprepared for this, if someone could give me a step by step on what to do I'd appreciate it.

What do I need to do/get, do I need to separate the snakes, etc. Thanks! PS - I don't have a spare tank but I could conceivably go get a styrofoam cooler or something for the eggs.

AGH!
 
Separating won't be a possibility until at least Tuesday, I have nothing available to house a snake and the stores here are all closed for the long weekend.

If a cardboard box with bedding would suffice (it's hot here) i can separate them now actually, but why do I want to throw the eggs away?

I should've been a bit more specific, I'd like them to be hatched if possible and I can go out and buy the necessary supplies in a day or two.
 
Yes, you should separate the snakes. Even if they were both males, housing 2 males together is an extra bad idea.

How Shiari (kinda) incubates eggs:

Easy supplies for incubating:

1- shoebox sized plastic bin with lid; sterlite, rubbermaid, etc.
1- bag of orchid moss/organic sphagnum moss.
1- large styrofoam container
1- UTH
1- Thermostat/rheostat
1- Digital probe thermometer
Several small things of bottled water.

Soak the moss, and then wring it out with your hands until you can't get more than a drop or two of water. Fluff it up and half-fill the plastic bin. Place eggs on the fluffed moss. Cover lightly with more moss. Put on lid. Do NOT put air holes as that will allow the moss to dry out too quickly.

Hook UTH to the thermostat/rheostat and place on the bottom of the styrofoam container (I use a converted mini-fridge personally, but this has worked for other people). Place the thermostat/rheostat probe directly onto the UTH. Cover UTH with a single layer of the water bottles. These help stabilise the temperature and provide a raised surface to put the egg bin on. Place the probe for the digital probe thermoter in with the eggs, closing the lid over the cord the best you can. Put the lid on the styrofoam box, plug in the thermostat, set it for 80 to 84 degrees... and monitor the temps via that digital probe thermometer to make sure they aren't too high/low and adjust accordingly.

Once a week, check on the eggs and open the lid of the box. This provides enough oxygen for them. It also lets you mist the moss if it gets too dry/the eggs start dimpling long before they are due to hatch.

Average incubation length is 60 to 80 days it seems.
 
Last edited:
quidamphx said:
Separating won't be a possibility until at least Tuesday, I have nothing available to house a snake and the stores here are all closed for the long weekend.

If a cardboard box with bedding would suffice (it's hot here) i can separate them now actually, but why do I want to throw the eggs away?

I should've been a bit more specific, I'd like them to be hatched if possible and I can go out and buy the necessary supplies in a day or two.
Click to expand...

I don't know where you live with a long weekend, don't you have a Walmart, Target or similar store. You could get a rubbermaid type box at a grocery store put some holes in it, that would work for the other snake. Carboard box, um, no the snake could very easily escape.
The reason you should throw the eggs away is you are not prepared for them incubation wise, viv wise should they hatch. What are you going to do with them when they hatch?
I'm sure you could get necessary supplies somewhere today.
 
that why you dont cohab!!
im sure there is some where you can find this things at! a cardboard box is a no no they can get out of that in a blink of an eye!

hope you are able to find the supplies you need to keep the eggs! keep us up dated please
 
Yeah I do have those stores and I just missed the cutoff by about 30 mins (they arent open tomorrow), stupid i know. I would have looked into this more if I thought there was even the slightest chance of it happening. I had my snakes sexed at the local Pet Paradise and they were obviously very very wrong. I also had asked numerous times about keeping them together, it certainly wasn't on a whim that I thought they'd be fine.

I've put together a suitable temporary home for the male snake who will soon be moved. I'll get a proper tank/viv on Tuesday.

Thanks Shiari for the quick advice.

The first thing I said to myself before posting was $#%!, people are gonna look at me like some irresponsible pet owner.

Last question because I cannot build a proper incubator until Tues, can I leave the mother in with the eggs for a day or two? She laid them underneath the bedding and is keeping them warm.

Also, when I move the eggs, how should this be done. I accidentally touched one while I was looking for my 'missing' snake and I notice they are kind of rubbery/soft, I don't want to use the wrong lifting method and damage them.

As far as what to do if they hatch, I have friends that would take one, but if not I'll properly house them until I do find owners. It'd be pretty easy off Kijiji around here.
 
Another quick topic, how can I inspect my female snake to make sure she's alright and not carrying any more eggs?
 
OK what is tomorrow, because where I live next Monday the 30th is the holiday.
Yes you were probably correct in your thinking about people thinking you are not responsible. This time of year there are numerous emergency snake laid egg threads. Bottom line co-habbing is bad. So if you intend to co-hab babies once they hatch I would do a lot of searching on here. Also I would not be willing to give a baby snake to just any friend and with snake sales down unless you have some great morph?????
 
quidamphx said:
Yeah I do have those stores and I just missed the cutoff by about 30 mins (they arent open tomorrow), stupid i know. I would have looked into this more if I thought there was even the slightest chance of it happening. I had my snakes sexed at the local Pet Paradise and they were obviously very very wrong. I also had asked numerous times about keeping them together, it certainly wasn't on a whim that I thought they'd be fine.

I've put together a suitable temporary home for the male snake who will soon be moved. I'll get a proper tank/viv on Tuesday.

Thanks Shiari for the quick advice.

The first thing I said to myself before posting was $#%!, people are gonna look at me like some irresponsible pet owner.

Last question because I cannot build a proper incubator until Tues, can I leave the mother in with the eggs for a day or two? She laid them underneath the bedding and is keeping them warm.Also, when I move the eggs, how should this be done. I accidentally touched one while I was looking for my 'missing' snake and I notice they are kind of rubbery/soft, I don't want to use the wrong lifting method and damage them.

As far as what to do if they hatch, I have friends that would take one, but if not I'll properly house them until I do find owners. It'd be pretty easy off Kijiji around here.
Click to expand...

No you cannot leave them with her she should have had a lay box with damp beding, the eggs need humidity and warmth. Do not turn eggs over while checking female.
Post a picture of the eggs
 
I wish I had searched here instead of trusting the local pet shop, they swear up and down co-habiting is fine. (apparently not!) Thanks for taking the time to discuss it, I'm sure it's irritating as all hell when people make these threads.

I won't co-hab babies, I'll buy the proper equipment and read up all about it tomorrow when I have the time to.

It wouldn't be to any friend for the sake of unloading them. I have friends genuinely interested in snakes and I'd make sure it'd be taken care of first. If not I'll see if any pet shops in the area would take them to sell.

As a lay box with damn bedding isn't an option tonight, is there a temporary solution for a day or two? I do have tupperware container. For all I know she's been with the eggs for a day or so already, I had noticed her being riduclousy active the last couple and then not at all this morning (obviously searching for a place to lay).

I can't post a picture of the eggs at the moment, but they're about 3/4" long, off-white, not dimpled at all. The visible ones are upright, but I can't tell the orientation of the ones below. Looks like 3-5 eggs are there, but again I don't know for sure yet. It's hard to see as they're buried and the female is around them, I don't want to poke and prod until I have a place to move them.
 
Like Rich said or go out and get some vermiculite or perlite without chemicals added. Rubbermaid in the back of a warm closet for now.
Please clarify what holiday tomorrow is, i seriously don't know.
 
Tomorrow is Victoria Day in Canada, pretty much everything is closed... Unless OP isn't in Canada, in which case I haven't a clue what holiday it would be.
 
Oh! OK but don't you have Walmarts in Canada because even in the very small town I live in they are open on Christmas.
 
As has been said you can use damp paper towels, shredded newspaper, anything to get the humidity up in the container...A warm closet, on top of your fridge or water heater; anyplace generally warmer than normal...

No one should be irritated; it's a learning experience...Now you know why keeping two snakes together is not a good thing...Learn from it, hopefully you can salvage the eggs and go from here :)
 
As far as an Incubator....Do you have any FEED stores near by?? they usually sell whats called a HOVA-Bator. designed for chicken eggs...but if you get the model that DOES NOT have the "turning tray" It will work wonderfully for corn eggs. The wafer style thermo it comes with Sucks...but in a desperate situation...do what ya gotta do.
For future reference:
Have your snakes Sexed.
Never Co-hab even if they arent opposite sexes
And for crying out loud....Check out your snakes more than once every few days. (Refering to your post that said "for all i know shes been with the eggs for a day or so..????) How do you miss this??? do you not check temps,Give Fresh water,Check for Poo?? DAILY!!!! I have 7 corns...And work 12hrs a day..With a family and numerous other pets...I find time..i MAKE time...to be with my babies. Not upset...not irritated...Just these things come natural for me...and i can't see why they wouldnt come natural to others.....
 
chris68 said:
As has been said you can use damp paper towels, shredded newspaper, anything to get the humidity up in the container...A warm closet, on top of your fridge or water heater; anyplace generally warmer than normal...

No one should be irritated; it's a learning experience...Now you know why keeping two snakes together is not a good thing...Learn from it, hopefully you can salvage the eggs and go from here :)
Click to expand...

rich333 said:
As far as an Incubator....Do you have any FEED stores near by?? they usually sell whats called a HOVA-Bator. designed for chicken eggs...but if you get the model that DOES NOT have the "turning tray" It will work wonderfully for corn eggs. The wafer style thermo it comes with Sucks...but in a desperate situation...do what ya gotta do.
For future reference:
Have your snakes Sexed.
Never Co-hab even if they arent opposite sexes
And for crying out loud....Check out your snakes more than once every few days. (Refering to your post that said "for all i know shes been with the eggs for days????) How do you miss this??? do you not check temps,Give Fresh water,Check for Poo?? DAILY!!!! I have 7 corns...And work 12hrs a day..With a family and numerous other pets...I find time..i MAKE time...to be with my babies.
Click to expand...

I don't think it is as much irritation as it is lack of research and preparedness. Then going on about places being closed, can't do anything until Tues....If one really wants to do this and is sincere about it then one would find a way to get it done.
 
susang said:
I don't think it is as much irritation as it is lack of research and preparedness. Then going on about places being closed, can't do anything until Tues....If one really wants to do this and is sincere about it then one would find a way to get it done.
Click to expand...

Thats what i'm saying!!
 
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