what to do?

[JCam99]

Well the amel female that bred but never shed is now definitely gravid. It just really started showing up in the last few days...her entire lower half of her body is swollen (at first it was just the belly scutes that kind of pooched out) but now the scales are being stretched and she's just getting really uncomfortably bloated. I'm wondering though, since this female hasn't obviously read the corn snake manual will she do a pre-egg lay shed? I guess I'm asking because I don't trust this girl and don't want to miss providing her a spot to lay her eggs. Let's see, she first mated on March 5, and kept on mating every couple days up to yesterday, when she wasn't in the mood anymore. So what should I do? Wait another week or 2 and put in an egg-laying box just to be safe? Just don't wanna have any surprises.

Oh yeah here's a pic of her showing the swelling on the belly scutes...it's pretty obvious how they just pooch out. Sorry for the quality of the pic tho, she didn't wanna sit still.

 

[Marcel Poots]

Since she has bred to the male so many times you can trust she is gravid. It will take normally between 36 - 46 days to get the eggs. She will go in shed soon since she will grow faster than normal. Usually between 7 and 14 days after the shed she will drop the eggs.

 

[Marcel Poots]

Oh.. and it never hurt to put in a box with wet spagnum moss.

 

[JCam99]

Hey

So there will definitely be a shed with her? I'm just wanting to make sure because she is um...strange. So I'll expect it in another 2 or 3 weeks then.
Thanx
Jcam99

 

[oreo]

I agree with Marcel

I would always put the egg laying box in a week or two before she is presumed to lay. I do this just to let her inspect it before laying. I presume this is helpful for the female to keep her from "searching out" a nesting site.

 

[Taceas]

Since you're unsure about her, I'd go ahead and put in a laying box anyway. You can't be too careful. Some snakes don't read the book obviously, and even in the book I think Kathy says that some females lay before they shed.

Make sure you pack it with moist sphagnum moss. I found out last year that only filling it halfway was not a great laying box. So Rich suggested I cram it full, and she instantly went in and stayed in there till she laid.

The moss also helps to facilitate her shed (if she sheds) and it also puts her at ease for finding a laying site, so that she's not wandering around potentially getting egg-bound.

I have one of the large deli-cups from LLLReptile full of moist moss, and have a hole melted in the lid thats large enough for her chunky body to get through. They don't seem to care if the container is see through or not. Although I found the transparent qualities handy for checking for eggs.

Let us know how she does.

 

[Charlie]

I always put a egg laying box in if I suspect a female of being gravid even if she isn't showing any signs yet. It is my way of being prepared incase she decides to drop early. Plus it helps them when they shed. I have about 4 female right now that are gravid and showing signs. All of them have laying boxes in with them. I also have another five females that have been breeding heavy but not showing signs yet. I am going to put egg boxes in with them today.

 

[Marcel Poots]

Don't you just hate it when do not show it obviously. Here is my het Pewter that bred to my het Pewter male. She should be in a pre lay shed but is not showing any real signs of being gravid:

My Amel Motley who bred to my Bloodred male however is full of eggs. Very obviously. Not even close to pre lay shed:

 

[JCam99]

Thanks for all the replys.

She is definitely gravid, she is swollen from about halfway all the way down to right before her vent. And when I palpate I can actually feel the eggs, hard to count them b/c like I said she's a husky snake anyways but occasionally I can feel some bumps if she's positioned right. As for her behavior, she hasn't been hunting for food any this week and spends her time coiled on her heat source not moving much. I picked her up tonight to check on her and she totally freaked out, I guess I would be too if I was swollen with eggs. Anyways I think sometime during the first week of April I'll go ahead and put the egglaying box in with her, I expect her to be ready to lay anywhere from then to the 3rd week of April.

I'll keep everybody posted.
Later
Jcam99