Hi all… I recently purchased this female from MorphMarket about 2 weeks ago. She is an amel corn snake, hatched in 2016. She was paired this spring, and laid about 5-6 weeks ago according to previous owner/seller. He also stated she double clutched in 2019 and 2020. Is there a possibility this will happen again based on her past seasons? I heard double clutching is very hard on a female, and I wonder if shipping will effect this/her laying. Attached are images of when I got her, and she obviously hasn’t been handled since. I offered her a lay box with spaghnum moss just in case. I’m new to this so bear with me. She hasn’t had a pre-lay shed to my knowledge, and she isn’t in blue. Do these images make her appear gravid?
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Based on that second photo, I’d say yes, she looks gravid to me. Gentle handling is fine if you need to for whatever reason. If she laid 5-6 weeks ago, and if she’s gravid, she’ll likely lay in 2-3 weeks. I’d suggest you think about an incubator or find a local breeder who can take the eggs ASAP. Good luck!
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Hi! Thanks so much for your help, I really do appreicate it! 
I actually have incubators for my leopard gecko project and beardies, so I’m all ready. Is it the lumps on her lower section that make you think shes gravid?
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Have you palpated her? It’s really easy and should give you a very good idea of if she’s gravid. Hold her with a thin piece of fabric (I use an old thin pillow case), and as she slithers through the fabric, apply gentle pressure to her spine and belly with your thumb and index finger. If she’s gravid, you’ll feel a string of lumps. She looks gravid to me.
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I tried palpating her with the pillow case method. I feel some lumps, about halfway down her body. They don’t feel very large but they are definitely there. Hopefully she’ll have a pre lay shed soon.
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Still no pre lay shed, ate yesterday just fine… does this mean she’s not likely gravid or could there still be time left? Just wondering because I think most still eat up until their pre lay shed… she’s ravenous and is eating twice a week no issue.
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helpful info was just provided from pervious owner/breeder. She laid first clutch about 40 days (5 1/2 weeks) ago. So maybe there’s hope? I think this puts us at about 3 more weeks until she lays if she is in fact gravid?
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I’ve had females skip their pre-lay shed so I’d suggest giving her a lay box 7-10 days before she is “due” to lay whether she goes through a pre-lay shed or not. Good luck
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I believe at this point in time she is in fact gravid. When I look at her, there is a signficiant lump above her tail that has been there for about 48-72 hours now. I haven’t been handling her now. (Ignore the fact there’s no lid on the lay box in the photo, she pushed it up). Just wanted thoughts on this lump… its too large to be poop, right? She also just looks lumpy in general. She was cruising around for a couple days but has now settled down in her lay box. Do they ever go without a pre-lay shed? Espically with a second clutch? Thanks!! She is literally huge, I have a feeling its coming soon… she hasn’t even shed/isn’t in blue.
It’s possible to skip the pre lay shed. That does not look like poop to me.
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