Oh boy, she looks fat... with eggs?

[MrsCornSnake]

Gah, normally I wouldn't bug of the message board, but Kathy Love's book is packed... somewhere (oh the joys of moving!) and my female sunglow motley is looking very, very, very fat. I just caught sight of her cruising around the tank and tempting the cat, looking far thicker than usual.

Anyway, she's an '06 and hasn't been with a male at all. She's also my oldest snake (my baby is growing up!) Do females usually lay unfertilized eggs? Like chickens?

:uhoh:

 

[ghosthousecorns]

They can, but more often will reabsorb the unfertilized eggs. I have usually noted the gravid appearance in females that are ovulating, I have never had a female that hadn't been with a male go on to lay eggs, but did have one go through the whole process of refusing food and having a faux 'prelay' shed.

 

[dionythicus]

I had two females last year who were introduced to males under strict supervision with no breeding taking place, yet both went on to lay slugs. One had never been with a male to my knowledge. So it can happen, but it sounds more like your girl may be ovulating.

 

[bitsy]

Most of the time ovulation is barely noticable, but I have one female who absolutely balloons as a result of it. She goes through the whole look-for-somewhere-to-lay/not eating routine, but after a few weeks her size drops back to normal and she carries on as though nothing had happened. She never lays eggs, despite being mated.