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Breeding/Egg Production & Care Any topics concerning breeding of the cornsnake, brumation, egg laying, or issues concerning problems in any step along the way.

Jello Butt
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Old 02-05-2005, 01:35 AM   #1
Hurley
Talking Jello Butt

OK, now that I've got everyone's attention, lol...

I know a lot of people on here are anxiously awaiting their first breeding season this year. I thought this might be useful info for first-timers, not to mention giving them just one more thing to watch for.

When foaling out mares, when they got close to their delivery time, you can see the muscles over their rump relax and their spine start to stick out in preparation for birth. We always called this "jello butt" because if you tap on the muscles, they are soft and squidgy during that time.

(I've got a point here, honest.)

This same phenomenon occurs in snakes prior to laying. Their backbones start to become more prominant as the epaxial muscles relax (the muscles along the top of the spine). Since it's impossible to get a cross-sectional picture of my snakes, this little line drawing'll have to do.



The pink denotes the bottoms of the ribs. Notice in ovulation and prelaying, that the belly scutes will actually bend and a portion is visible along the side. It appears that the belly line "dropped down a row".

We are familiar with the breadloaf appearance of a normal cornsnake. The belly should be relatively flat across from rib tip to rib tip. During ovulation and while carrying eggs, the cross-section rounds up, the belly bulges out and scutes become visible at the sides.

What I've noticed happens pretty much right at their pre-lay shed to perhaps a little before is that the muscles along the spine flatten out, giving them an almost bony appearance right before laying. (Far right drawing)

I tried to get some pictures of these two gals who should be laying this week. They show what I'm talking about in person, but I found it almost impossible to capture on digifilm.

This pewter is due any day now and is showing a very pronounced spine in person. Look towards the last third of her length, you can see the reflection off the ridge.




Her swollen caudal third is more evident here with the stretching of her skin showing plenty of white between the scales. Note that she hasn't eaten in a month.







This anery gal is probably a week from laying. The spine is less evident, but definitely more prominant than a normal corn. She's starting to get "jello back". You can see it towards the vent near where her head crosses her body. Sorry, I wish I could get this to show up better.




 
Old 02-05-2005, 01:39 AM   #2
dionythicus
Thumbs up

Thank you so much! I knew about mares getting soft in the rear, but I didn't think about snakes showing similar signs.

I only have one female that I've bred this year and it's everybody's first try at it. I really appreciate that information. I do believe it will come in handy.
 
Old 02-05-2005, 01:53 AM   #3
Shep151
Another great post! I was actually just noticing that my girls that are nearing laying are looking "skinnier". Now I see why their spine is more apparent. Thanks, Connie!
 
Old 02-05-2005, 01:57 AM   #4
Hurley
Yep, they start to look emaciated and bloated...all at the same time, poor dears.



Don't tell them that, though, you'll hurt their feelings. Tell them they have "that special glow about them."
 
Old 02-05-2005, 02:00 AM   #5
Shep151
I'd never say such a thing to a female in such a delicate state!
 
Old 02-05-2005, 02:12 AM   #6
Bluebeard
slightly off topic, how many times would a female snake lay a clutch, compaired to when a breeder pairs her up?
 
Old 02-07-2005, 12:27 AM   #7
E. g. guttata
I noticed that my female looked like that last year. I was a little worried, but she went through everything fine. I'm just realizing that she's around 7 years old now. I got her from Don the last time he did a show in KC. I'll have to get some pics of her here shortly. Right now (unfortuantely) she's starting her shedding cycle . Oh well, I'll take a few tomorrow and a few after she sheds so I can do a compare/contrast thing.
 
Old 02-07-2005, 05:24 PM   #8
Alias47
Thanks Hurley...thats GREAT information...
 
Old 02-07-2005, 06:29 PM   #9
howiet4702
As usual Connie....Great stuff!
 
Old 02-07-2005, 06:40 PM   #10
jazzgeek
This may appear to be , but bear with me.

Recently, there was a thread regarding what the ideal cleaner/disinfectant is to use in your viv/tank/shoebox. A great review of products followed, and someone commented towards the end of the thread as to how useful the thread (and obviously, the info contained therein) was - someone else suggested that a number of these "useful" threads be collected and categorized into a "newbie" forum section, readily available on the forum tree.

This thread would fit right into such a section. (See? I did have a point to make!)

GREAT info, Connie, even for those of us who won't be breeding their snakes until '06.

regards,
jazz
 

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