Unbred Corn Ovulating?

[Dustilyn]

I'm a little baffled here. Zade, my 8 year old corn, who was a "male" up until a month ago seems to be ovulating or carrying eggs without having been bred. I believe I've heard that this is possible, but why this year after 7 years of nothing? The only thing I can think of is that we have other snakes now while last year she was still an only.

She has been refusing to feed for about the last two months and today I noticed the scales in her midsection weren't touching like normal and her skin looked stretched out. I gently ran my thumb down her belly and could feel distinct bumps that resembled firm marbles. I used to palpate rabbits when I bred them and this feels the same as the rabbit embryos did.

I do have a very nice Okeetee male on a breeding loan to me with the intent of breeding him to Zade, but he's only been here a week and upon introduction to Zade had no interest in her and actually seemed frightened of her. They were only together for a little bit, and not unsupervised so I don't see how anything could have happened between them. Even if it did, they were only together two nights ago so it seems rather quick to produce eggs.

So my question is, if she's already developing eggs is it too late to breed her and get them fertilized? I'm not clear if the fertilization comes first or if the eggs develop then become fertilized.

Either way, I will make sure she has a nice nest box and may even incubate the eggs for practice and just in case.

 

[bitsy]

seems to be ovulating or carrying eggs without having been bred. I believe I've heard that this is possible, but why this year after 7 years of nothing?

Corns mature at different rates and ages. I have one that didn't seem to ovulate until she was 5. Whilst 3 is nearer the mark, I guess it's not beyond possibility that it might be delayed until the age of 7, although that would be unusual. The presence of other new Corns in the house may have been a factor - I'll be interested to hear opinions from others.

Most likely to my mind, as you've thought Zade was male until very recently and have had no plans to breed, it's possible that you just haven't been looking for the signs up til now.

So my question is, if she's already developing eggs is it too late to breed her and get them fertilized? I'm not clear if the fertilization comes first or if the eggs develop then become fertilized.

Technically the snake has to have something to fertilise, although there's the potential issue of sperm storage to consider. There's no harm in putting them together now. I believe that Corns can ovulate two or three times a year (hence double or triple-clutching), so even if a mating doesn't "take" this time, the sperm might be stored for the next opportunity.

and may even incubate the eggs for practice and just in case.

I'll insert my standard (and I'm guessing, rather boring by now!) proviso about breeding - make sure you know what morphs the hatchlings will be *now*, and that you'll be able to sell them. Incubating the eggs for practice is all very well, but you'll also be housing, feeding and selling hatchlings "for practice" at the end of it, which is a different (time-consuming, nerve-wracking and potentially expensive) ballgame.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I'll be interested to see how things work out for your newly-re-gendered Zade!

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

There's also the chance that she just has a lot of crap in her, literally. I thought Lotem, who is not quite 200 grams yet, was ovulating like a python or boa as the lower 1/4 of her body was a little squishy and bloated.

I soaked her for a shed during that time and when I went to take her out, saw a bunch of brown stuff floating around with fur in it. She got a BATH after that. xD

 

[Dustilyn]

Corns mature at different rates and ages. I have one that didn't seem to ovulate until she was 5. Whilst 3 is nearer the mark, I guess it's not beyond possibility that it might be delayed until the age of 7, although that would be unusual. The presence of other new Corns in the house may have been a factor - I'll be interested to hear opinions from others.

Most likely to my mind, as you've thought Zade was male until very recently and have had no plans to breed, it's possible that you just haven't been looking for the signs up til now.


Technically the snake has to have something to fertilise, although there's the potential issue of sperm storage to consider. There's no harm in putting them together now. I believe that Corns can ovulate two or three times a year (hence double or triple-clutching), so even if a mating doesn't "take" this time, the sperm might be stored for the next opportunity.


I'll insert my standard (and I'm guessing, rather boring by now!) proviso about breeding - make sure you know what morphs the hatchlings will be *now*, and that you'll be able to sell them. Incubating the eggs for practice is all very well, but you'll also be housing, feeding and selling hatchlings "for practice" at the end of it, which is a different (time-consuming, nerve-wracking and potentially expensive) ballgame.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I'll be interested to see how things work out for your newly-re-gendered Zade!

All very good points, Bitsy. Thanks! You're right in that I never checked for ovulation before and I think having more snakes in the house has affected her. This is the first year she has ever been twitchy and restless. She did finally eat for me last night and did go to the bathroom. It was mostly urine since she hasn't eaten for so long, but I guess that could have been what I felt.

Zade is normal Okeetee and the male on loan to me is reverse Okeetee. I'm guessing we'd get all normals hopefully with Okeetee phase markings, with the possibility of some reverse depending on what's behind her. I got her from a pet store years ago as an itty baby so have no idea what her parentage was.

Speaking of having more hatchings than I'd know what to do with, I know some breeders cull hatchlings for various reasons, but do many people cull eggs to keep their numbers down? Like only incubate the best looking few out of a clutch?