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Staying Still After Laying Eggs

G

GreenHelix

New member
Hey everyone. My eight year old corn snake has been acting differently for the past week but since she's normally restless in the Spring, it didn't concern me too much to start with. More recently, I noticed she'd started making coughing sounds so I took her to the vets where they cleaned out her blocked nose and gave her some antibiotics. This seemed to help a lot and yesterday, she spent the whole afternoon resting out of site which is her normal habit. I handle her most days (except after feeding) but when I got her out yesterday, I noticed she'd unexpectedly laid four eggs. This was a bit of a shock because she hasn't done that in the seven and a half years I've owned her but I am aware females can lay eggs without breeding. The eggs aren't fertilised from what I can tell but they're not what's bothering me. The problem is I disturbed her while she was laying the egg and was holding her for a good moment before I even realised what had happened. Her and the eggs were under the water bowl when I got her out but since I don't feel comfortable putting her back in the same place and having to put the water bowl on top of her, I removed the eggs and put her back next to her water bowl. It's been twelve hours now and she hasn't moved from that spot. She's still breathing (very slowing) and hasn't taken a drink as far as I'm aware, despite her being right next to the water bowl. I've been reading up on it and I was wondering if it's possible she's now holding onto eggs because I antecedently disturbed her? If so, is there anything I can do to help her or is it just a case of waiting? I've been tempted to move her to see if she's okay or laid anymore but I don't want to keep disturbing her. How long can she stay in one place before I can tell if there's a problem or not? How long do corn snakes tend to stay on their eggs after laying them? As I said, she laid the first four in the damp and hiding under her water bowl and I didn't know if I should be trying to recreate that environment? I've got access to a vet that specialises in reptiles but neither me or them noticed she was carrying eggs and I don't want to move her unless I have to.

Thanks in advance.
 
I've only just noticed I may have posted this is the wrong section so if someone could please move it, that would be greatly appreciated.
 
Welcome GreenHelix! How are things in the UK this time of year? Don't know much about Coventry except what I read in history books and from those who survived WWII (makes me think we are ALL wusses after learning what that generation had to deal with!).

About your snake, I'm sure there will be others who know better than me that will be chiming in soon (I just had a snake begin laying eggs without having her pre-lay shed, so what do I know?). For now, however, I would not handle her anymore till your certain she's done laying and maybe place a small container with some moist substrate or moss if you can get some and place it in the corner, preferably covered (maybe shut the lights?) and try to show her where it is or just make sure she SEES it? If she's not done laying, she should continue once she's relatively certain she's not going to be handled. That's why I'd shut the lights or even cover her viv with a dark sheet or something that will make her feel alone and safe.

Until one of the experts in breeding chime in, I'd think that's what I would do!

Welcome again and Good Luck!
 
Yeah, first I'd feel her to make sure she doesn't have any more eggs. If not, then I'd feed her. If she does, then I'd make a lay box and put her in it and leave her strictly alone for 24 hours.
 
The weathers been unusually warm in Coventry for this time of year.

I'm fairly sure she's finished laying the eggs now but I'm still concerned about her health. I felt the tail end of her and couldn't find anything but I'm still surprised nether me or the vet was able to notice anything before. She's just curled up at the back and doesn't seem to want to move for anything. On the positive side, I was able to get her to have a drink but only by moving her next to the water bowl, I haven't seen her go there herself. I've been leaving her alone for the most part but I don't know how long it should be before she starts eating. We've rang two reptile shops and one of them said she'll need to eat strait away because she's used all her nutrients up but the other shop said to leave her for a few days. Either way, I'd still like to take her to the vets this week to get her checked over because she's still making coughing sounds and I'm unsure if that's a side effect or something else.

Again, sorry if this is in the wrong section, I couldn't find a way to move it.
 
Well, as I was shocked to discover (Mother Nature has her way of rudely informing us of stuff sometimes!) my female snow corn (who is also 8 yrs old) went into like a zombie state while she was laying and I would bet that your little sneaky one wasn't done yet when you intervened. I would just leave her for awhile, especially if you say she drank water.

However, did you mention whether or not her "coughing" has cleared up? Since the vet treated her, don't what else you could do except maybe offer a small mouse (based upon Nanci's advice, I offered my girl a hopper which she snatched quickly, after her laborious activity and after she refused a regular sized mouse, which was a mistake on my part). Also, did your snake shed prior to laying? Mine didn't and she was making a clicking sound, not exactly a cough but close.

Just a couple of ideas. Wish I could be more helpful!
 
Nanci has tons of experience so if she says feed, I would.

I just popped in to add my moral support and best wishes. I hope your snake recovers her strength quickly.
 
If she appears done laying, she is likely acting sluggish because of her post-lay shed. I second Nanci's advice to try feeding her. She should go blue sometime in the next few days to a week.
 
I tried feeding her but she didn't want it. Unusually, not only was she not interested, she seemed to back away and be almost scared of the mouse. She does seem to be showing early signs of shedding which normally puts her off her food anyway. So do snakes tend to shed before and after laying eggs? Would it be a good idea not to try and feed her again until after she's shed? I'm hoping she'll perk up after that but I don't see how she can get her energy back without eating. The only time she moves is when a put her by the water bowl, she has a longer than normal drink then goes to the back and curls up again. I can't tell if she's properly stopped coughing or not because it seems to come and go but the antibiotics the vet gave her were meant to last for three days. I've got her booked into the vets again later this week because I'd still like to get her checked over to be safe.

Thanks for the advice / support everyone, I'm less worried than I was a few days ago.
 
The normal course of things is the female sheds and lays the clutch about 12 days later. She goes blue almost immediately, and sheds again. She may or may not be hungry after laying. If she isn't hungry, I just wait till she's had her post-lay shed.
 
I've taken her to the vets now and he gave her a good check over again. He thinks she may still be carrying eggs, possibly because of me accidentally disturbing her the first time. Since she's going to shed again soon, his advice was to leave her alone and hopefully she'll lay the rest after, if not and she doesn't return to herself, I'm to bring her back. He did admit it was hard to tell if she had anymore because she could have already laid the majority and he was explaining something about the eggs changing if she was trying to hold onto them. I'm going to wait until after she's shed but is there anything I can do to try and encourage her to lay the rest if there is any? Other than that, he said she was still perfectly healthy. He checked her mouth / throat and was lightning to her heart and stuff but didn't find any problems. Since she's still drinking and appears fine in every other way, he said it's just a case of waiting.
 
I'd make sure you have a fresh laybox available, make sure she knows it's there and maybe make sure it's as comfy as possible for her (maybe shut the lights if they are on?). Can't think of anything else, especially since you brought her to the vet which was really cool of you!

My adult female (Lilly) laid a nice clutch last Saturday without a pre-lay shed and she ate twice since, a hopper on Sunday and a larger mouse on Wednesday. She also drank what seemed like a gallon of water and though her eyes are kinda dull (can NEVER tell when she's "blue"), she STILL hasn't shed. My point being that they are on their OWN schedule which unfortunately doesn't jibe with OURS for the most part! It wouldn't be half as bad, I guess, if you DEFINITELY knew EXACTLY what the issue is, right?

If they only could TALK! Ha Ha!

That's why, as with most things, patience is a virtue!
 
I'm pleased to say that she shed a couple of days ago and I've managed to get her to eat a mouse since then. I think she had a problem shedding because she did it in the day, which I don't think she's done before, and it came off in pieces rather than all at once. There was a bit stuck to her tail which has happened before so I got that off as gently as a could with some water. There's also a bit left on her chin but I was wondering, would I be better giving her a bath rather than trying that off by hand? I've not done that before and despite her normally being relaxed, I don't feel comfortable going that close to her face (she gives me a look just for doing her tail). Her energy doesn't seem to have increased so I'm a little concerned about that still but now she's eaten, I'm hoping it'll pickup. I'm still unsure as to if she's carrying anymore eggs so I want to put a lay box in just in case. I've read up on them but does anyone have any tips for making one? Also, how long should I go before trying to properly handle her again? I don't want to keep disturbing her in case she's going to lay any more eggs but up until this whole thing happened, she was use to being handled on a regular basis.
 
When I have stuck shed around the head (which used to be often with one of my snakes) I have a damp cloth with a rough texture and let the snake keep sliding through it. Every time her head goes over my hand, I close my hand over her head gently. Whether she then chooses to continue forward or pull her head out backward, she's getting a little bit of friction and contact with moisture. Usually this results in the bits of stuck shed coming off on their own after a while. I go really gently and take my time, and it can take a good few minutes, but I have yet to have my snake get stressed out over this method since I'm not ever reaching for her face, and to be honest she seems to like it. I think it feels kind of good.
Soaking might also work. I've tried soaking first, but she just got super stressed out, pooped in the water, and I still had to do this afterwards to actually get the skin off anyway. I just go straight to this method now for anything around the head or tail tip.
 
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