Puzzle...

[Just A Beginner]

One unbrumated amelanistic female, kept with one unbrumated normal male. Have been kept this way for 2~3 years. In January, the female began to become "squishy/mushy" in her rear 1/3, and her scutes became rounded. She started eating like a horse and "spasmodic jerky mating danced" around the male. The male died on February 20th. No copulation was observed. Female continued to eat like a horse. Three nestboxes with varying humidity/darkness/temperature were provided. Became blue at the beginning of April, shed on the 10th. Thus far, no eggs. I can feel a small number of eggs (8~12) but all are beyond 2.5" from the vent. It is now 18-ish days since shed. She spends most of her time in the nestboxes.

Any advice? Should I

a) Leave the setup as it exists, just wait, and presume that her squence of egg-laying related events are going to be different due to her not being brumated and probable fertilization (if any fertilization at all) occured long after the male died due to her storing sperm. Try to resume feeding.

b) phone up for an appointment at a reptile vetinary clinic. It is 50 miles away, only reachable by train.

Or any other suggestions?

PS, This is a pet snake, not breeding stock part of a large collection. She has a very high place in my heart. I was heartbroken by the death of the male, who was my first ever snake. I don't want to loose the female too.

 

[Susan]

I would leave the set up and just give your female more time. I have several females that tend to "run late" with everything concerning breeding and egg-laying. I am currently waiting for a ghost lay her eggs. She was "due" to lay them (5 weeks after the last mating date) on the 16th of April. She JUST had her pre-lay shed last night and if she continues with her normal routine, I'll be waiting at least another 10-12 days for her to lay her eggs.

And I have 2 females that will sometimes lay their eggs BEFORE they have a "pre-lay" shed. I've come to learn that they'll lay their eggs when THEY want to, not when the calender says they should. I delivered both my children when I was ready, not when my doctor said I should be ready...one "late" and one "early", but both when I thought I was going to have them!