Infertile female, reabsorbed eggs or what?

[Susan]

I bred my first-time female caramel het butter to my proven butter male on 3/6 and 3/8. I witnessed both matings. She was due to lay around 4/10 to 4/12. She exhibited typical gravid behavior, seemed to put on weight and girth, spent the standard time in the nest box, shed when expected, and NOTHING! No fertile eggs, no slugs, she left the nest box around the 20th of April, still looks on the heavy side, and has resumed feeding. Could she be infertile? Could she have reabsorbed the eggs? Did she go through a "false pregnancy"? I have been placing her back with the male every few days since the beginning of this month, but, so far, no mating. In fact, he is showing only a small interest in her, and she is running like mad to stay away from him. Anybody have any clues?

[Matt L]

Susan,
I haven't experienced this yet, but I have heard of it.
If the early breeding didn't deposit any viable sperm, she would still go into ovulation. The snake will look and act gravid. In early mating the female will store the males sperm and save it until she ovulates. In ovulation only, the alleged eggs will feel alot smaller and less defined. I also read somewhere that corns will eat there unfertile eggs--I don't beleive this! I would have to stick with the absorbed theory. I'll have to dig out the books--I can't remeber where I read it. I'm sure someone else has heard of this.


Best of Luck!
Matt L.