Oh nooo....

I am really sorry you are going through this. I have never bred snakes so I can't imagine what you are going through.

But I have bred dogs and when a bitch has a bad whelping is it horrible. So in that regard I feel your pain.

Try to remain calm, everyone has given really good advice it seems. I think the most important thing is that you don't have a heart attack that way you can take care of those babies when they come.

Good luck and many hugs being sent your way.

Well I won't even be looking at Lacey over the next two days. I have annoyed her far too much by looking in and romoving slugs etc. Im just worried sick as this is oh so obviously my first time breeding. I cannot thank everyone enough for the fabulous advice given to me over the last week or so.

The first (only) time I had a dog whelp, things didn't go right, and I took her to the vet, and it wasn't my vet, it was an emergency vet, and they wouldn't let me come in and watch the C-section, but then five minutes later they were passing blue puppies out to the waiting room for my friend and I to get going...(It was a pug, she couldn't have a vaginal birth because of the large head size). I never felt the urge to breed again after that disaster...

I still don't understand why people insist on breeding dogs that simply cannot give birth naturally ie pugs, english bull dogs etc. On that note, this experience has made me wonder why the heck to I want to breed? It's utter selfishness on my part

I'm really sorry Elle. Last year was my first time breeding and I did everything wrong from having the female in a viv next to the chair I sit in most of the time to totally stressing her. I checked so often when she started, calling people she had one egg, two, three... I moved them over as I thought she was turning them. Finally Jen came over and took nine nice eggs, but she still had more. While she never became stressed and bound the remaining 11 eggs were laid about a month later all dead and dried up. To top it off I misread and used peat moss so the intial eggs were good but icky from the start and they died. I debated breeding again this year and did, but have an easier attitude about it, with no expectations. This will be the last year I breed. I think Janine went through similar last year after over checking, but she got some good babies out of it.

Originally Posted by Tula_Montage

I still don't understand why people insist on breeding dogs that simply cannot give birth naturally ie pugs, english bull dogs etc. On that note, this experience has made me wonder why the heck to I want to breed? It's utter selfishness on my part

Oh Elle....

I truly do symapthize with what your feeling. And if we could all sit in the same room, I'll bet anyone who'd had more that a couple of clutches would agree - sometimes it doesn't seem worth it.

Have you heard my eggs on the floor story?? I tripped over the temerature cord that was in the moss some eggs were incubating in. The probe caught underneath one of the eggs and pulled the entire clutch out of the container and on to the floor. On a positive note? the moss came out with em and the eggs landed on the moss too. I just sat on the floor and cried. Three years???? Three years of work to dump em on the floor... my daughter looks at me sitting there cradling moss and eggs. It's one of those moments where I say, what am I doing???? Killing them off is what I see!!! But then then she reminds me about how excited I get when they finally pair up, when they pip and when I get the unexpected......

That said, yes it would have been great if your first clutch went by the book. But it didn't. You're doing okay and so is your girl. Try to be patient, know we're all here rooting for you!!

Oh... just so you know I was thinking about you yesterday..... my Bloodred girl had a pre-lay shed and with it came a slug, dead on top of the lay box I put in there.... <sigh> I think she's been reading your thread with me...!!

Hang In There!!!

-Tonya

Elle and Tonya, keep the faith.
Elle please keep from taking your female to the vet until Thursday.
Tonya dont think negative after that slug.
I still remain positive for both of you.

Ciao

Originally Posted by SnakeCreations

Oh Elle....

I truly do symapthize with what your feeling. And if we could all sit in the same room, I'll bet anyone who'd had more that a couple of clutches would agree - sometimes it doesn't seem worth it.

Have you heard my eggs on the floor story?? I tripped over the temerature cord that was in the moss some eggs were incubating in. The probe caught underneath one of the eggs and pulled the entire clutch out of the container and on to the floor. On a positive note? the moss came out with em and the eggs landed on the moss too. I just sat on the floor and cried. Three years???? Three years of work to dump em on the floor... my daughter looks at me sitting there cradling moss and eggs. It's one of those moments where I say, what am I doing???? Killing them off is what I see!!! But then then she reminds me about how excited I get when they finally pair up, when they pip and when I get the unexpected......

That said, yes it would have been great if your first clutch went by the book. But it didn't. You're doing okay and so is your girl. Try to be patient, know we're all here rooting for you!!

Oh... just so you know I was thinking about you yesterday..... my Bloodred girl had a pre-lay shed and with it came a slug, dead on top of the lay box I put in there.... <sigh> I think she's been reading your thread with me...!!

Hang In There!!!

-Tonya

I'm so sorry to hear that Tonya! What a devistating story. Lets just wallow in the misery of breeding complications together

Originally Posted by susang

Janine went through similar last year after over checking, but she got some good babies out of it.

I certainly did, and the best advice I got was to stop checking Pearl and let her lay in peace. Elle, read 'the tincture of time' thread
http://cornsnakes.com/forums/showthr...light=tincture
I caused Pearl's problems by disturbing her too much. I had a lot of support in getting through it, but I still know I delayed her laying and could have lost her through my inexperience. This year I know better and will not disturb a laying female unless I really think she's dying.

Thanks guys... I won't even peek until Sunday...