My snake laid eggs! HELP!

[JustineNYC]

I havent been around in a super long time but I used to frequent here alot as a newbie. Anyway I just checked in with my corns and my ghost is laying eggs! I was under the assumption they dont do that unless you mate them....was I wrong? Ive heard horror stories about corns being eggbound so Ive never attempted to breed. I dont co hab, my snakes have never met each other....the one male I have isnt even in the same room as the females, so what is going on?


Do corns lay dudes? And what do I do with them?

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/262319_2034485306705_1381370960_32330199_8283244_n .jpg

[Airidies]

Some corns will lay eggs after ovulating. If she's never been with a male then they are all duds. If she's been with a male, even up to a year before laying, then it's possible some will be fertile. Female snakes can retain sperm from a previous breeding, so if you got her as an adult she may have had a clutch before.

The duds you can just throw away. Fertile eggs, if you don't want to keep them, should be frozen then thrown away.

[airenlow]

Welcome back Justine! Females can and do lay infertile eggs. Just throw em out. Make sure she passes all the slugs and offer a smaller than normal meal when she's done. It's not a big deal unless she retains eggs...

[JustineNYC]

Thank you guys for your quick replies! I was freaking out LOL

Ive had her since she was a hatching, and shes never been around other snakes, male or females (which is why I freaked) so they are duds.

There is 7 in there now.

How will I know if she doesnt pass them all? Will I see a bulge? Right now shes curled up like she doesnt know whats happening.

[Nanci]

If you put her on the floor and let het pass through your fingers, with a slight bit of pressure on her belly between your forefinger and your thumb, you should be able to feel if she has any eggs left. It happens sometimes, nothing to worry about. Freaks you out the first time, though.

[Lennycorn]

To help me and maybe others to understand. From the picture I can see one slug and what appears to me two good eggs. Are these the infertile eggs?
Do they look alike?

[JustineNYC]

To help me and maybe others to understand. From the picture I can see one slug and what appears to me two good eggs. Are these the infertile eggs?
Do they look alike?

Yea, one is caved in. The two "good eggs" appear to be good, but since theyve never been fertilized, I guess they are infertile. She is laying on more good eggs. I guess an egg can appear to be good and not be fertile?

[Nanci]

Cherry laid what appeared to be fertile eggs two years ago without having, to the best of my knowledge, ever been with a male. I incubated them out to over 80 days before they finally looked bad.

[JoannaD]

I have had clutches where all the eggs look great and when you candle them not all have veins and those are the ones that have always gone bad on me or molded. So yes, eggs that look "good" can be infertile.

[JustineNYC]

Nanci, as always, you are a wealth of knowledge!

I took her out and she feels skinny and smooth all the way down to her tail. I dont feel any eggs or bulges, shes got some loose skin, although it wouldve been nice to feel her when they were in there.

She laid 9 total.

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/270637_2034557468509_1381370960_32330398_5391253_n .jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/267486_2034561468609_1381370960_32330405_6571958_n .jpg


I guess you do learn something new every day! LOL

[Pal-O-Mine]

:) Welcome to the club! I just joined the "Whaddya mean my boy is really a girl???? team. But my gal-pal laid eggs that were obviously not viable. Even my hubby was saying. "Why are writing the forum? Even I can tell you those are slugs! And I'm not even an addict!"

Devon

[Nanci]

Justine, I would feed her today, the day after laying, something small like a hopper or fuzzy if you have any, then about five days later a weanling, then back up to her regular size prey. I'd feed her every five days until she is back to her normal weight. And she should go blue very quickly, like a week or less, and may refuse to eat during that period. And...she may lay again in two months.

[JustineNYC]

Will do Nanci. She is starting to go blue already, I could tell last night. Shes never refused on me, so hopefully shell be alright. Thank you!!!