Hey guys. My corn is a little over 5 1/2 years old, and I think just laid her first clutch of eggs. I only say I think because I haven’t seen any in person. One of the issues I’m also having is that she’s never been with a male, so I’m unsure of the viability of any of these.
This picture is from yesterday when I got home from work. I’m currently working, should be home in about 6 hours. I’d seen her out and about yesterday morning, so I think she started yesterday afternoon. I counted 3-4.
I called her vet, but the best they could tell me is that her doctor is back in on Tuesday, which wasn’t really helpful.
I’m really worried about her, mostly wondering how long I should leave her be before I poke around and check to see if she got them all out? And should I pull the eggs out when I check her? Should I even bother starting them in an incubator to see if they’re viable, or just - I don’t know it looked like freezing would be a humane way to make sure they’re not going to develop? I’ve read that sometimes they can be parthenogenic but that it’s super rare for offspring to come of it.
Honestly, any information anyone can give me would be much appreciated. I’ve been researching online, but everyone has something different to say about every aspect of this process. And I just want to make sure my girl is fine.
Thanks for the time. I’ll try to provide more pictures and info as I can.
If she hasn’t been with a male, they’re most likely infertile. You can always candle them with a flashlight to be sure. 24 to 48 hours should be enough time to wait before checking on her. Pull the eggs out. Don’t bother incubating unless you’re sure they’re fertile and prepared to deal with hatchlings. You can always freeze them just to be extra sure they won’t develop.
The two i can see are definitely slugs. Hope she gets everything out!
If you’re in the northern hemisphere and she has access to enough ambient outdoor light to know the changes in day length, then try to feed very light from late winter through early summer. An appropriate sized mouse every 21 days should be good. Frequent feeding at that time triggers ovulation, and even though that doesn’t usually result in slugs, sometimes it does. I don’t brumate, and heavy feeding in late winter and spring is how I prep breeding girls.
It’s not that uncommon for many species of snakes to ovulate and in some cases lay some slugs, even if they’ve never been with a male. Parthenogenesis is also a thing that can happen, but it’s much more rare than a virgin female simply laying some infertile eggs. The two eggs I can see definitely look like slugs. Fertile eggs are going to be pretty bright white, while slugs tend to be that more yellow colour. But as mentioned, you can hold a light against any eggs you’re unsure about to see if there are any visible veins. If there’s no veins, I wouldn’t bother with trying to incubate. And even if there are veins, you still don’t have to incubate unless you’re actually willing and able to care for the babies.
Hopefully your female will get the job done and get all the eggs out. It’s not unusual for a virgin female to lay. It seems to become more common as they age, like their body is determined to reproduce one way or another.
If you haven’t already given her a lay box, that would be a good idea! Just a simple bin filled with damp sphagnum moss and hole for her to get in and out easily.
She dropped 7 eggs, and now she seems good to go. I can’t see or feel anything suspicious, but I was also really gentle when I was handling her.
I’m wondering when it’ll be safe to feed her next. She’ll eat whenever and whatever I give her normally, so I know I can’t rely on her to tell me. But her vet will be in tomorrow, I can always ask her too.
It’s safe to feed as soon as she wants to eat. I generally offer a smaller meal the first time after laying. The female may be feeling tender inside as well as tired, and a smaller meal is less stressful. You can go with a couple of fuzzies or a hopper or such.
You female will have a post-lay shed cycle, then you can resume normal feeding.
She actually was starting to cloud over when I checked her this morning! Her vet said to dust her next prey item with calcium powder just to top off her reserves, so I’ll do that too.
I have a frozen hopper I was hoping to talk my sand boa into (he’s a Live Food kind of guy, unfortunately, despite many discussions with him). I’ll put it off to the side for her. Maybe start with a small meal, give her 1-2 weeks, then back to her regular?
I’m just so glad she’s okay, I was really worried. Still am a bit. I’ll probably feel better once she’s shed and eaten. I hope she never does this again.
Sounds good. Barring complications, you can go back to her regular feeding schedule right after she sheds. Unless a female has lost a lot of weight or has trouble with her initial, smaller meal, it’s fine to go back to her normal meal size after an initial smaller meal.
I’m glad you’re sweet girl is doing well. Hopefully after a stern talking-to, she won’t do this again!
You got a lot of good advice here, so I won’t duplicate anything. I would only add a comment in response to this: “I can’t see or feel anything suspicious, but I was also really gentle when I was handling her.”
Usually, the bumps are pretty obvious, but in the case of a small or misshapen slug (or any other abnormality), I have had luck feeling a female by holding her in my hands, setting just her head and neck in the cage, and then letting her glide slowly over my straightened index finger. When they’re gliding into their cage, they usually have very relaxed muscles, and that is the time I can usually feel whatever might be going on inside. If they tense their muscles, which sometimes they do when you’re holding them and feeling them in your hands, it’s harder, especially if you’re being very gentle. So can just give that a go to ease your mind, even though she very likely has them all out already.
But her vet will be in tomorrow, I can always ask her too.