Our corn laid 17 eggs while we were away for 2 days. When we returned, the eggs ranged in colour from 3/4 white to completely orange-ish in colour. Upon discovery, we placed the eggs in a plastic box w/a wet paper towel in the bottom and left it in the vivarium. Is there any hope of any of them hatching? We've read that we should also feed her a smaller mouse which will be easier to digest until she gets her strength up again. Is this right? Also, is it okay to handle her while the eggs are in the vivarium? Or should we just leave her be for a few days until she regains her strength? Will she be protective of the eggs?
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Eggs!
- Thread starter chipmunk
- Start date
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
OK - first question is, do you actually want the eggs to hatch? Are you able to find homes for 17 Corn Snakes? If "Yes", read on....
I'm assuming that your female has been with a male at some point in the last year, so at least some of the eggs will be fertile.
White ones are fertile, shades of yellow/orange tend not to be. But the rule-of-thumb is to incubate every egg until it turns completely green with mould and collapses. The most unlikely specimens can hatch.
Eggs need to be kept in a range of about 77-85 degrees in order to hatch. They can go up to 90 degrees, but the higher end of the temp range seems to put them at risk of abnormalities (just anecdotal, no actual evidence). Unless your viv temps are very strictly maintained, then you'll need to move the eggs into an incubator to give them their best chance. Use the Search facility on this board to find out how to put one together.
Eggs should be supported in some kind of substrate like vermiculite or moss. This should be kept damp and to achieve that, most people use a tupperware box with the lid firmly shot. Some people have a few airholes, but I don't bother with mine. The boxes are airtight and seem to work OK as long as you check eggs once a week or so. Humidity is important to keep the eggs hydrated - if they dry out they can die.
Feeding a smaller mouse to your female would be helpful immediately after laying. As long as she keeps that down, then you can revert to her normal sized food after that. Depending on how much weight and condition she's lost, you might want to increase feeding frequency or the numbr of items offered, until she's back at her usual body weight. I give my females 2 adult mice at 10-14 day intervals and it usually takes them a couple of months to recover.
The female won't be at all protective of the eggs, so you're safe to handle her with the eggs in the viv (although as above, I recommend moving them out). In the wild, they drop 'em and leave 'em.
A bit of peace & quiet is usually appreciated after laying. Keep handling to a minimum for a couple of weeks, and when you do have to handle, be very gentle.
Mine usually stay put in one place after laying, so I get an extra water bowl and move it to within easy reach of them. They seem to like a drink when they're done.
I hope that helps.
I'm assuming that your female has been with a male at some point in the last year, so at least some of the eggs will be fertile.
White ones are fertile, shades of yellow/orange tend not to be. But the rule-of-thumb is to incubate every egg until it turns completely green with mould and collapses. The most unlikely specimens can hatch.
Eggs need to be kept in a range of about 77-85 degrees in order to hatch. They can go up to 90 degrees, but the higher end of the temp range seems to put them at risk of abnormalities (just anecdotal, no actual evidence). Unless your viv temps are very strictly maintained, then you'll need to move the eggs into an incubator to give them their best chance. Use the Search facility on this board to find out how to put one together.
Eggs should be supported in some kind of substrate like vermiculite or moss. This should be kept damp and to achieve that, most people use a tupperware box with the lid firmly shot. Some people have a few airholes, but I don't bother with mine. The boxes are airtight and seem to work OK as long as you check eggs once a week or so. Humidity is important to keep the eggs hydrated - if they dry out they can die.
Feeding a smaller mouse to your female would be helpful immediately after laying. As long as she keeps that down, then you can revert to her normal sized food after that. Depending on how much weight and condition she's lost, you might want to increase feeding frequency or the numbr of items offered, until she's back at her usual body weight. I give my females 2 adult mice at 10-14 day intervals and it usually takes them a couple of months to recover.
The female won't be at all protective of the eggs, so you're safe to handle her with the eggs in the viv (although as above, I recommend moving them out). In the wild, they drop 'em and leave 'em.
A bit of peace & quiet is usually appreciated after laying. Keep handling to a minimum for a couple of weeks, and when you do have to handle, be very gentle.
Mine usually stay put in one place after laying, so I get an extra water bowl and move it to within easy reach of them. They seem to like a drink when they're done.
I hope that helps.
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
Oh sorry I should've said - very important when you're moving the eggs - keep them the same way up as they were when they were laid.
In the first few days after laying, an air bubble forms at the top of the egg and the embryo uses this while it's developing. If you turn the egg, the bubble can move or dissipate, which will kill the embryo.
In the first few days after laying, an air bubble forms at the top of the egg and the embryo uses this while it's developing. If you turn the egg, the bubble can move or dissipate, which will kill the embryo.
Joejr14
Grand Bubble Burster
I would disagree with this. I know of a particular breeder who pays no attention to whatever which was the eggs were laid, and has no problems. I actually dropped a container of eggs last year and they hatched out fine. While I'm not suggesting you roll the eggs on a daily basis, I think there is way too much stock in the thought process that you cannot turn/move the eggs.
Cornsnake124
Country boy gone wild
I herd that you may drown the baby in the yoke if you turn it.
hannibal21222
New member
experience with burmese python eggs tells me that they CAN be drowned if turned, i'm sure the same goes with cornsnakes but i never hatched them so i guess i'm not that credible lol
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
That's a shame chipmunk. But now you know that you have a fertile female, you can at least do some thinking about whether you want to breed in future, and start to do the research and gather the equipment for a proper go at it in a year or two.
And now you can concentrate on your female, to ensure that she makes a full recovery from the rigours of laying.
And now you can concentrate on your female, to ensure that she makes a full recovery from the rigours of laying.