Egg Problems

[midlife_crisis]

Hello, I'm new to the forum, although I have been reading thus as a 'Guest' for sometime.

Long story short. 5 years ago we purchased two Corns. My son wanted to see the breed. For years nothing happened and Sin and Tash didn't produce any eggs. We got the snakes checked by a professional and they turned out to be both girls.

So we introduced Only to Tango Bob. A large dominant male. They mated and sun produced 19 eggs. Some were slugs, we took the eggs to the pet store icubation. Next Tash laid around 20 eggs. They are now in our new incubator.

Problem , neither would feed after laying and sin looked dull a lifeless. I then noticed lump. A large egg had not been laid. I called pet stores, searched the Internet , got various conflicting advice, so took her to an exotic pets vet. An Xray showed 6 or 7 eggs. Retained. The vet gave her an injection of calcium. And we've been giving her hot baths. She passed the egg that was the lump at the back, but none of the others. I'm taking her back to the vets later. So far the vet said if they are not out by Friday she faces surgery. The 1 St visit was £176 that's about $ 300 , today will be another £40 for another injection.

Are we doing the right thing? Hot baths etc. Neither snake wants eat at the moment. Any advice welcome.

Regards



Ste

The pet store man said to feed them asap

[Susan]

I've had females go completely off food after egg laying. Some I can stimulate back into eating with their ultimate favorite...a live rat pinky, but unfortunately, I've had several pass. I don't think it was only due to starvation, as death occurred too quickly for that. Something else was wrong, but not retained eggs, and not eating was the only symptom I noticed. Tell your vet to try to aspirate the retained eggs first to see if reducing their size will help them pass. Surgery is a last resort, IMO, and I've not heard of many surviving.

[bitsy]

I've had two females survive surgical removal of eggs quite happily, so all is not lost (although I've never risked breeding them again). But the lack of interest in eating and the general decline is worrying. Some females will potter around with retained eggs quite comfortably until they eventually pass.

The odd one I had that refused food after eating, went into a decline and died a couple of weeks later. She didn't have any retained eggs, so there was just some sort of complication around egg formation or laying from which she couldn't recover. You may have two unrelated issues on your hands, with the retained eggs being coincidental.

Be careful of "hot" baths. A Corn's maximum safe temperature is below human body temperature so if the water feels hot to you, it will feel scalding to the Corn. It should feel tepid, lukewarm or just off cool. If you can get it to around 80-85 degrees using a thermometer, that would be ideal. If the eggs are truly stuck, then I'm not sure the baths will help anyway and they might just stress her further. I'd be inclined to leave her absolutely in peace.

I've found that calcium injections have alway been a very good pick-me-up for a sick Corn, so I think that's definitely a good idea.

[midlife_crisis]

I've had females go completely off food after egg laying. Some I can stimulate back into eating with their ultimate favorite...a live rat pinky, but unfortunately, I've had several pass. I don't think it was only due to starvation, as death occurred too quickly for that. Something else was wrong, but not retained eggs, and not eating was the only symptom I noticed. Tell your vet to try to aspirate the retained eggs first to see if reducing their size will help them pass. Surgery is a last resort, IMO, and I've not heard of many surviving.

Tash only laid on Sunday, but has not shown interest in food. The food here in the U.K is dead and so has to be waggled about and warm to give the impression of 'live' usually they take food fine in this way. Tasha successfully laid all her eggs and has not eate yet.

The problem with Sin ( Sindy) is that she retained an egg near the end that looked like it had gone side on - after the calcium injection she has passed that egg and another ( which was mishaped). The Vets Xrays showed 6 or 7 and so she has to pass more yet.

My worry is about surgery as it's best avoided for any animal if possible, but at the same time I couldnt see her die if I can do something about it. The Vet said to give her another injection today and then more warm water baths - with Friday being the cut off. If she hasnt passed the eggs by Friday she is to have them removed in an operation. The more she can pass the better chance of that being a success. BUT she shows no interest in food. She is drinking water though.


Thanks for you input

Ste

[midlife_crisis]

I've had two females survive surgical removal of eggs quite happily, so all is not lost (although I've never risked breeding them again). But the lack of interest in eating and the general decline is worrying. Some females will potter around with retained eggs quite comfortably until they eventually pass.

The odd one I had that refused food after eating, went into a decline and died a couple of weeks later. She didn't have any retained eggs, so there was just some sort of complication around egg formation or laying from which she couldn't recover. You may have two unrelated issues on your hands, with the retained eggs being coincidental.

Be careful of "hot" baths. A Corn's maximum safe temperature is below human body temperature so if the water feels hot to you, it will feel scalding to the Corn. It should feel tepid, lukewarm or just off cool. If you can get it to around 80-85 degrees using a thermometer, that would be ideal. If the eggs are truly stuck, then I'm not sure the baths will help anyway and they might just stress her further. I'd be inclined to leave her absolutely in peace.

I've found that calcium injections have alway been a very good pick-me-up for a sick Corn, so I think that's definitely a good idea.


Have you had them eat while pottering about with the eggs? or do they have to have passed them first? Sin with the egg problem shows know interest in food, but then niether does Tasha and she laid her firts clutch fine. Although both these snakes and 5 and 4 years old, this is their first egg lay.

Both are not eating and so you could be correct thats there's two health issues here.

I'm glad you told me about the temp, I've been luke warm to tepid, but did have the first bath to warm I think, not very much to warm, but a little. I have gone cooler and now its just lucke warm. They've both had a bath today. Tash seems to love the water. She's often sat in the water in the Vivarium. Sin the one with the retained eggs is not too keen.

I think I'll leave the baths for 48 hours and see what happens. She's having another calcium injection today and I've decided to take Tasha the vets also - I'm expecting a large bill, but TBH I just want to see them both well.

I shall be seperating Tango Bob from them as I'm not keen on breeding them again. My boy is happy that they finally had eggs, but it could be at the risk of thier health and Sin is part of the family as is Tasha . I just want to get them fit and well. Thanks for you advice. I think its good and makes a lot of sense.

Cheers


Steven