<font color=red>Urgent!</font color> Just found eggs......

<font color=red>I just found 8 eggs in the cage with my female. I new she was gravid so I had seperated her from the male. I looked inside today and found 6 pearl colored beauties and 2 maybe-slugs. I wasn't expecting them for a while yet, so <b>what do I need to do?</b> I really don't want them to dry out and die. <b>How long will they be eggs before hatching out?</b> The mother seems to be fine and alert just a little bit tired. The eggs are what I'm worried about now...</font color>

OK, first of all, calm down and take a deep breath. There! Better? Good. Now, read the book! OK, already done that. Get the eggs into a warm, humid environment: incubators are good, plastic shoeboxes are good, whatever will keep them warm and moist. Cover them 1/2 way with moist moss or vermiculite, cover the whole of that with a wet paper towel, and wait. Wait some more. Keep waiting, like 8 weeks or so, depending on the temp. Now watch the little snake babies slit the eggs. DON'T help them out, let them do it, it takes a couple of days. Now enjoy them.

Calm...

I've calmed down since the first shock. The eggs are doing well. I have them on some sphagnum(sp?) moss at a steady 82 degrees. Thank you for the suggestion on the book. It would help if I had one( which I don't. I have had the snakes for around 5 years and never had a book. I am no breeder and these are the first eggs I (I mean the snakes) have had. I am <b>trying</b> to bribe my parents into letting me keep at least one. Most at the moment are going to schools in our area. There is one definant slug and one I-don't-no egg. Wish me major luck

Becca Tsucalas
Houston, TX

Well getting the book is very very good idea. Since in situations like these, you'll know what to do (just refer to the book)

It's not that expensive to buy the book anyway, only around 15 dollars US and you'll get it to your door.

Just wondering, how old are the pair?

Good Luck and Happy Herping!

"The Book"

Hrm, it seems everyone thinks you should read the book but no one has told you what "the book" is yet. Lol . So here it goes: The name of the best cornsnake book on earth (so far as I know) is "The Cornsnake Manual" by Bill and Cathy Love. You can order it online at alot of places or go to a local bookstore or petstore and look for it (maybe have them order it for you?) or get it from their website at www.cornutopia.com (I think that's it). Good luck with your eggs and congratualtions!

Thank you...

<b>Simon</b>-

<i>I got both of my snakes at different times. The male was pretty much "dumped" on us. We were supposed to "watch it" for the people, but they kind of never picked him (Explorer) up from our house. That was around 5 years ago. I grew attached, so kept him. We don't know much about him or whether he is het for anything, so the results of the eggs are actually going to be a surprise.

The female, my mother felt compelled to buy at the Reptile Show in Houston around 3 years back. It is really her snake, but I take care of the snake.

The male is a little over 5 feet and the female is 3 and a half feet.
Both seem happy to be in the same cage together and much better than seperated.</i>

<b>Katie</b>-

<i>Thank you very, very much for telling me what "the book" is. I was kind of wondering about that. I am aware of the Love's sight and have gone there many times.</i>

Thank you to everyone again

Becca Tsucalas
Houston, TX

Well at least it's good to hear that the two is in good breedable size. The female is just at it's minimum requirement. But not at risk.....I would say anything smaller than that would be a bit risky.

Anyway,
Good Luck and Hope to see the little ones soon!

None

I wasn't actually meaning for them to breed, but it kind of...uh...happened She is a bit small to have eggs. She only had 8 after all. The female is doing well at the moment and just ate.