Hope she finishes getting them all out without issue! She’s really pretty.
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Thank you! 10 that look pretty good so far. Some are slightly yellow, so I’m not sure how good they are, but we’ll “incubate until there’s no debate.” She still has more to go. Is it common for some moms to take over 24 hours laying?
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She’s lovely! Congratulations on a wonderful clutch so far!
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Any help or advice? Confetti is 48 hours of working on delivery, 12 hours since her last egg. She has 5 eggs stuck. Vet gave her fluids and a calcium injection. Says if she doesn’t pass them on her own in the next couple days, we can come in for another round of fluids, calcium, and oxytocin (he admits the oxytocin isn’t super effective in snakes, though). He was very pleased with how active and alert she was, and said he wouldn’t get worried until she got lethargic.
I do wonder about “wait and see” for that long, though. I’ve read that the eggs may adhere to her internal organs. I know this can be fatal. Surgery is, unfortunately, not something I feel I could do at this point. The vet doesn’t even think it is necessary to consider for at least 3-4 more days.
Because this is only my second snake laying eggs, I feel too inexperienced for something like massage, or sucking fluids (via needle) out of the egg. The vet warned heavily about the risks of infection for the needle suction trick. I’ve also been told to inject mineral oil into the cloaca by other keepers, but the vet also strongly advised against that since the mineral oil can also remain in the snake as a foreign material and cause issues down the road. It seems like opinions abound, but my experience is too limited to discern legit tricks from unnecessary risk. Is there a chance she’ll pass them on her own?
Currently we are trying to soak her in warm water for ten-minute increments once per day, but that’s the only protocol the vet gave us.
What is your experience?
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You can try swimming her in a bathtub (if you have one) to stimulate contractions. You’ll want to clean it out first so there’s no residues (and nothing she can reach/pull down) and then fill with just enough water (temped to around 85ºF) to cover the bottom. Supervise the whole time. You can also try offering her a small meal to see if the digestion & extra energy can give her a boost.
Not organs, just the oviduct. The issue then becomes any sort of torsion, rupture, or infection. That said, waiting a few days is the best course of action here.
Surgery should be a last resort option.
All of these suggestions are risky without significant experience and, at least in my opinion, shouldn’t be encouraged, especially needle aspiration. There is indeed a chance she will still pass them on her own.
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Thank you so much!
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Wishing you and Confetti all the best, I know exactly how stressful this can be. I also know how hard it is to take the advice to wait when all you want is the situation resolved, but it really is better in the long run. If it makes you feel any more at ease, the second time my girl Celia was eggbound, we had to postpone her surgery due to a shed cycle. Waiting the extra two weeks didn’t cause any further issues.
With time and a little luck, hopefully she’ll get those last five out without needing any serious intervention.
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That’s excellent news. I’ve just read that once the gas calcify, they can be almost impossible to pass, and that they calcify within another 48 hours or so after they should have been laid. That said, either my memory may be off, or the thing I read simply isn’t true, so I’m going to listen to the vet’s and your experience. Thanks so much.
We’ll keep trying the baths, and I’ve seen several other places, too, that a small meal will help those eggs get moving. Neither of those are invasive or expensive, so it’s nice to have some simple things to do to support her.
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Fingers crossed. It’s the worst aspect of breeding. And from my extensive research on the subject, we don’t really know causes or prevention measures, and there are no sure methods for actually remedying the situation. Some people whom I consider experts on the topic say “let nature take its course.” Other experts say “time is of the essence!” For the record, I’ve lost a female following both items of advice.
Swimming can be good. It works when it works…
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Definitely start with the swim and food offering. Also try to get her to drink some water. Then let her rest in her lay box. Since she has an egg right at the vent, you may be able to aspirate without needing to go through the skin, which I think reduces the risk a lot.
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I’m so sorry that you and Confetti are going through this. How are things this morning? Hoping that she’s moved things along. If you haven’t already, consider marking the eggs’ positions on her body with a sharpie so that you can really knowif there’s movement.
@deanaii is right, there is a lot of contradictory advice, which makes it very hard to choose a course of action. You do have more time than some sources suggest. Females can and do take many days to pass all of the eggs sometimes. I have one string out laying for days, go through the post-lay shed, then successfully finish laying after that. I was a stressed-out mess, but she ended up being fine. There’s a thread about it, which is here. Be aware that the other female in the thread did not make it. 
Eggs do not necessarily adhere nor do they calcify with 48 hours and become impossible to pass. I remember reading that too, and it’s a terrifying thought. Thankfully it is not accurate.
Mammals and reptiles react very differently to oxytocin. (Pitocin is the synthesized version used in medicine.) A study found that it’s only useful for reptiles during the early phase of labor, roughly the first 36 hours. Once the female’s contractions have naturally stopped, pitocin was not a successful intervention.
Swimming, small meals, gentle handling, especially if she’s one who is normally friendly, ensuring that Confetti has fresh water daily, ensuring that temps in her nesting area are 80-82 can all help. Gentle handling None of these things can hurt. Sometimes supportive care at home, in her familiar environment with veterinary advice and updates and giving your snake’s body time to deal with it are the best thing to do.
I know that it can feel like you “should be doing something.” And it’s hard to know the right choice. Please know that we are here for you and thinking about you and Confetti, wishing you both well. I’ll be saying prayers.
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I combed back through my records. For what it’s worth, I had a female take 15 days from first egg to last egg back in 2022. She prolapsed and that was treated but there was no surgery involved. I offer this to say that you and Confetti do have time.
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@caryl I read through your whole record of Aria and Dazzler. I so appreciate your detailed responses and encouragement. I’ll mark her eggs with a sharpie right away. That’s a great trick just to help me know if she’s progressing at all.
I’m trying not to worry or panic. I’m figuring if the worst happens, it’ll be one of those experiences for my son that I also had—and still very much value—as a kid working on the farm. Death was (and is) part of life, and the pain of loss was (and is) part of the joy of love. It’s so, so hard to watch anything suffer. But I sure hope it doesn’t come to that! Thank you all for giving me hope!
That said, Confetti doesn’t seem to be suffering at all. She is still bright and energetic, and with all of your help, giving me confidence that she has more time than “internet lore” convinced me she had, I am going to remain positive until I absolutely have to accept a more stressful or sad alternative.
So appreciative of this community!
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It’s worth a lot. Thank you for going back in your record keeping. I should schedule you for a consult so I can see how you keep your system so organized! Incredible. I have a fairly good system, but not sure it would’ve produced what you just did for me. Thanks again.
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WONDERFUL NEWS. The eggs are moving. No more have been laid quite yet, but the big gap between the ones near the vent and the ones trailing behind is nearly gone. She drank a huge amount during her bath. I’m taking this sign of progress as hopeful news!
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Glad to hear so far she’s staying strong.
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Hooray for the home team Confetti 
! She is a real trooper she is!
Btw you should see the record/card that @caryl sends with a purchased corn snake from her! Also @deanaii Dean keeps a ton of notes on all of his corns as well! 
So in other words, this is THE PLACE for corn snake information!
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I’m no breeder or snake expert, but I have heard several people here say that a small meal can help ‘push’ against the eggs in the oviduct and also that intestinal movements can help trigger contractions, wild stuff!
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Happy to hear things have gotten moving again! Sounds like Confetti hydrated herself well. Fingers crossed the next update is they’re moving on out!
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