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Newbie with First Corn

OkeeteeMom

OkeeteeMom

Lovin' My Snakes!
Hi All!

We recently had a couple of rescued Garter Snakes (from a major hailstorm) and were able to release them. A few days ago we were out getting home repair stuff and came home with a female Okeetee! We were told that she's believed to be gravid which is very exciting. She's around 3.5 feet long and really pretty (but what CS isn't?!)

I was looking through a book online at Amazon and saw something about snake with 'hips' (no joke). It looked gravid but wasn't. Does anyone know anything about this?

Never-the-less, we did set-up a nesting box, but I'm need to learn as much as possible...ASAP.

This looks like a wonderful group, and I've already been reading some of the posts. Any help would be much appreciated.

And BTW, looks like you all have beautiful scalebabies. :D
 
Hello & welcome! The threads in the breeding section should cover most everything you need to know. "Hips" is something I've heard of in female corns on occasion. If I remember right its fatty deposits that develop right above the vent. They are pretty much impossible to get rid of (typical female complaint, huh?) but they aren't threatening to the corns health. These two books are great to have on hand,
http://www.cornsnake.net/cornsnakesincaptivity.php3

http://www.amazon.com/Corn-Snakes-C...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1287510703&sr=1-1
 
If you look at a snake with hips, they look deformed. They look like a fat person. If the snake is gravid, you can feel the eggs. If you set her on the floor, and let her crawl over your fingers, with a _teeny_ bit of pressure, you should be able to feel individual eggs. Or, you can let her crawl up and over the edge of her viv, so she is making the bend right over your fingers- you may be able to feel them that way. Her scales on the sides will be spaced apart so you can see between them. Instead of having a cross-sectional profile similar to a slice of bread, she will be more round, or, if close to laying, have a prominent spine. She will bulge at the edges where her sides meet her belly, when laying flat on the ground. She will shed, and them most likely but not always refuse food until she lays. Most snakes lay about seven days after the pre-lay shed.
 
NANCI

That's excellent information and suggestion you just gave me and I really appreciate it.

We were told by the shop that they got her just two weeks prior from the previous owners (I have no idea what her age is or why they gave her up). The shop said that she came in healthy, but a bit skinny so they began feeding her "crawler rats" 1-twice a week...especially when they guessed she might be gravid.

I didn't want to handle her yet, as I'm guessing she might like to adjust a bit more to her new, new home? This is only day 3 for her here...that and considering she just fed on two pinkies. I really want to handle her but am concerned about stressing her out more than she might already be, you know?

After she ate just now, I got a good look at her (not thinking to have the camera near me, OF COURSE!) as she repositioned herself. She doesn't look deformed. It does appear that she has 6-8 bulges.

In a day or two I'm going to try the things you suggested for egg determination.

Again...thank you SO much for your help...I feel a bit of new owner anxiety lifted!
 
Welcome to the forum and the hobby!

Did the shop say why they believed your female to be gravid? I ask because it's awfully late in the year to be dropping a clutch. Of course, corns don't read the books.....
 
CARYL...

Yes, they said they believe her to be gravid because of the 6-8 lumps/bumps near her tail end. They showed me her belly and it certainly appeared to be holding egg shapes.

When I spoke with them today, they estimated her age to be around one year old. They also told me that if her eggs come out all shriveled and sickly looking, it wouldn't be unusual...if it's her first clutch.

I've been on this site all day long (and I mean that!), reading everything I can!
 
OkeeteeMom said:
Hi All!
A few days ago we were out getting home repair stuff and came home with a female Okeetee! We were told that she's believed to be gravid which is very exciting. She's around 3.5 feet long and really pretty (but what CS isn't?!)

And BTW, looks like you all have beautiful scalebabies. :D
Click to expand...

OkeeteeMom said:

When I spoke with them today, they estimated her age to be around one year old. They also told me that if her eggs come out all shriveled and sickly looking, it wouldn't be unusual...if it's her first clutch.

I've been on this site all day long (and I mean that!), reading everything I can!
Click to expand...

First, let me say that I love the term "scalebabies".:D

Second, I gotta say that your shop is majorly confused about corn snakes. There's simply no way your female is a yearling if she's 3.5 feet long. That's possible though uncommon for a two year old, but more likely she's at least three. Also, eggs don't come out shriveled. Even eggs that aren't fertilized are not shriveled when they are laid. They may be very oddly shaped but don't shrivel until later.

How close to her vent are these bulges? Could you post a picture? Do you know how long she's had them?
 
CARYL...

I myself was reading that (if true) Corn Snakes don't reproduce in general until the age of three...so I'm more likely to believe you.

I don't have underside pix yet. I've been leaving her alone to settle into her new home. Before the next feed I want to handle and photograph her a bit. I'm going to use the suggestions Nanci gave me for feeling up for eggs.

As soon as I have more details, I'll let you know.
 
Well..... The guiding wisdom for breeding females is 3 yrs - 3 feet - 300 g. They can and will breed before that, it's just often very hard on them. I didn't mean that she couldn't be gravid at 1 yr. I meant that she couldn't be as large as she is and be only a year old.

You're wise to wait until she's better settled for pictures. Kudos again for your desire to learn. I know you'll provide an excellent home for her.
 
Gravid? Fat?? Over-bred???

I got to handle "Evie" a bit this morning (YAY!) after cleaning up her major poop/pee-fest she had last night (Holy Mole'...she had 3 of each!). I also took a few photos and tonight I'll get a true measurement and weight, but for now I'm guesstimating her length to be around 45".

What Say You? Gravid? Fat?? Over-bred???


picture.php


picture.php
 
TAVIA...

I SO hope you're right! We'll see what others have to say, and more importantly (in the end) what Evie has to show.

BTW...is there a place on this Forum where I can go to learn what all the numbers in people's signatures mean? Such as 1.0.0 and all that?

Thanks Tavia!
 
She's a pretty girl! It's hard to tell how large her upper body is where she's coiled. The bulging near her vent does look like she has eggs, with perhaps some minor hips. How's her appetite?



(FYI I'll likely be offline until the weekend. Don't take a lack of response as a lack of caring.)
 
CARYL...

The shop said they'd been feeding her one crawler/hopper twice a week, for the two weeks they had her. They fed her one (live :( ) on Sunday, and she ate 2 pinkies yesterday (I had leftover from some Garter's).

This morning I woke up to her 3 massive poops and pee's. Most of the day she's been 'curious' every time I walk by...kind of like before they fed her at the shop. SO, I think she still has an appetite.

As soon as the Mister get's home, we're going to measure and weigh her.
 
EVIE'S WELL CHECK...

So we just got back from Evie’s well check and here’s what the Doc had to say…

“I think she has edema.” :::takes out a needle and sticks Evie in the butt, extracting fluid for a slide::: :(

“I pretty positive she’s a girl by the length from her cloaca to the tip of her tail…it’s really long…males are shorter”.

Her weight: 540 grams, “She’s completely normal, not overweight”

Heart rate: Very Good

Lungs: Very Good

Possible Age Guesstimate: 5-7 years

Gravid: “maybe, maybe not…I can’t feel any eggs but you never know until you know”

Feedings: “One rat weanling a week is fine, if she eats it right away. If she shows no immediate interest in food, cut back her feedings. You can feed her once every 2 weeks, or three weeks or a month…I don’t care. Vary her diet…give her a mouse or a Gerbil once in a while. And do supplement her meals with something such as ReptoCal.”

Slide Analysis: “No edema, just a fatty butt, but she’s not overweight”.

It sounded somewhat clear to me (yet contradictory regarding her weight). But no matter...young or old...gravid or not, she’s loved and has a forever home with us.
 
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