Baroque'ken Heart egg drama
 

My 2016 Salmon Snow Produced by Catherine Turley from SMR Coral lines via Mysticexotics was bred 4/2/19 to my 2016 Coral Ghost (out of Knight - 2013 JMG Coral Ghost x Summer - 2013 Strawberry hypo het coral ghost motley phet lavender)

The pairing went off well. They hooked up almost immediately and I kept them together overnight. They did hook up a second time. (got vid and pics).

The male went back to his bachelor digs and the female stayed in her Princess Suite. She was eating well but I didn't see any signs that she was gravid.

By the middle of the next month (more than 45 days after breeding) I thought I hit Rich Z's Murphy's Law of Breeding and wasn't going to get eggs.
I didn't pair them again writing it off as a learning experience until I noticed - beginning of June - she was getting egg-heavy.

Mid-June, I saw her vent was swollen. I thought she might have an egg stuck, so it was off to the vet, who recommended waiting.

Realizing that my herp knowledge is seriously lacking, I took her advice. Three days later she shed.

Thinking that must be her pre-lay shed I thought we were back on track even thought the breeding was more than 60 days prior.

A couple of weeks later she had been moving about, in and out of her lay box.
Her vent had stayed swollen (inflamed and it looked irritated) the whole time and I saw that she had not completely shed, so I moved her through a damp hand towel to loosen the remaining skin. It came off easily and I put her back, hoping she would lay soon.

A couple days later, still hugely gravid she was back in her usual spot. I thought to check the moss in her lay box to see if it had dried and perhaps re-dampen it. I found two eggs! Got them out and in the incubator (I'm hopeful that I got to them in time but I'm not sure)

After a couple more days of inactivity, she stayed in her hide and no more eggs, I called the vet again. Again she recommended waiting.
She didn't seem to be in distress and pleading my woeful ignorance, I took her advice and waited.

It's been almost a week since the two eggs and now I've moved her into smaller housing to better monitor her activity. She settled in her new quarters and I saw movement, from her, which leads me to believe she wants to lay but still nothing.

I think it time to go back to the vet. I don't want to jump the gun and make things more stressful for my snake when nature "should" run its course but I've never had a snake that looks so packed with eggs.
She refused a mouse just before I found the eggs and she is keeping hydrated. I watched her drink after I moved her.

I tried to view the vid on how to aspirate but its not there any more and I think that is outside my comfort zone and abilities.

The timeline I expected is all thrown off. How much longer should I wait? What should I look for to determine "distress"? She isn't thrashing about.

Any suggestions? I don't want to lose her.

Is the vet you are seeing a reptile specialist, or a vet who also sees reptiles?

If she were my snake I'd get a second opinion. Waiting may be good advice at first, but a swollen and irritated vent for a prolonged period doesn't sound good to me, especially after two eggs were already laid.

I hope she's ok. I agree, make sure you take her to a reptile specialist, if possible.

@Shiari - it was a vet that has a dr that specializes in reptiles.

A second opinion is a great idea and it got me to thinking about any other reptile vet.
Then the light bulb turned on. I remember seeing Connie Hurley (more than 10yrs ago) when I had a snake with a kink. She did an X-ray and found that the spine was excellent. weird... anyhoo

I found her in a town not to far away and left a message at her office. Hopefully she'll be able to refer me to someone. (as the receptionist told me they only see dogs and cats).

Dr. Hurley called me back but it was already too late.

Infection, adhesion, and something had gone wrong with the eggs (something about fibroid?).
There were calcium and oxytocin injections. We tried to massage the eggs down (got two more but they were not right) and the rest would not budge.

Sadly I should have thought more like Twolunger.

She passed Tuesday night.

I'm very sorry to hear that. :(

So sorry to hear she didn't make it. You did the correct thing getting her to a vet when you noticed the problem. I hope the eggs hatch so her line will continue. Let us know if the eggs hatch.