Unmated female Corn / w Eggs ??

[Stephen29]

I have a Female Butter Corn that definetly has eggs inside her (about 17 that I can feel ) however she HAS NOT BEEN WITH A Male this year ?? I took this year off as far as breeding the snakes. So none of my stock was cooled down. When I first discovered the eggs they felt like small soft lumps. ( Maybe unfertilized ova ) But now they seem to have a slightly firm outer shell. As if they are fertile ? I have a nest box in her cage that has been in there for several weeks. She goes in there but no eggs have been layed . She weighes 630 grams.

So, why does she have eggs in her in the first place ? HOW DO YOU PREVENT FEMALE CORNS FROM DEVELOPING EGGS WHEN YOU DON'T WANT THEN TO LAY ???????? What should be my next course of action ?

Thanks for the help .

Stephen

 

[Chip]

She'll lay a group of slugs when she's ready, I'd wager. It happens sometimes. I don't know of a thing you can do to prevent it, though not brumating the animal might help. It doesn't seem to do them any harm or thin them down much. Besides, there's always the slim chance of sperm retention if she was bred last year, so the eggs *could* be viable. Doesn't usually happen for me, though.

 

[RobbiesCornField]

I agree with what Chip said.
I had a female last year that was never put with a male, although in August, she laid 8 or 9 slugs. There's really nothing you can do to prevent it. In a female that has been with a male, it's more likely, even if she did take a year off, because her body is expecting it. My guess is that she started producing the eggs around the time you would normally breed her, and are developing into a nice pile of slugs. Think of it as similar to a human menstrual cycle. But less frequent.

 

[ghosthousecorns]

I have actually "felt" eggs in an unmated female before where I could have sworn she was going to lay a bunch of slugs, but she never did. I don't know if they got "reabsorbed" or what.

 

[CrousesCorns]

Besides, there's always the slim chance of sperm retention if she was bred last year, so the eggs *could* be viable. Doesn't usually happen for me, though.

I had one bred late last year and she retained and had 8 eggs early this year. So they might not be slugs.

 

[Chip]

Um, I thought I said that.

 

[Pasodama]

I don't know of a thing you can do to prevent it, though not brumating the animal might help.

Maybe. Although, I have a female who, without brumating (& without breeding), has laid a clutch, of slugs, (sometimes double clutching) each year that I have had her. (Am Planning on putting her in the brumation group this year).

 

[bitsy]

If ovulating to this extreme - or laying a full clutch of slugs - will endanger her health, my vet prevents ovulation with an injection of the same stuff used to prevent pet birds from laying infertile eggs. Don't know what the name of it is, and you have to have it administered very early in the year to prevent ovulation in the first place.

However, if she's otherwise perfectly healthy, just let things take their course. As above, she'll most likely either reabsorb the unfertilised ova or lay slugs. Treat her as though she was gravid and provide her with a laying box. Slugs or not, she still could become eggbound if she can't find a suitable place to lay.

 

[Stephen29]

She'll lay a group of slugs when she's ready, I'd wager. It happens sometimes. I don't know of a thing you can do to prevent it, though not brumating the animal might help. It doesn't seem to do them any harm or thin them down much. Besides, there's always the slim chance of sperm retention if she was bred last year, so the eggs *could* be viable. Doesn't usually happen for me, though.

This animal WAS NOT cooled down , and this still happened. I just hope she doesn't get Egg Bound. I'm really worried. Thanks for the help

 

[Nanci]

I have that going on here, too, with Cherry. She's a 2005, and hasn't been brumated since I got her. I hope she reabsorbs.

I wonder if my vet can do that shot, to dratted Isabel! At least snakes just do one clutch of slugs, usually...

 

[bitsy]

This animal WAS NOT cooled down , and this still happened

Brumation isn't a vital part of ovulating/breeding, although it's said to increase the fertility and size of a clutch.

I never brumate mine and I've been breeding successfully for years.

If she's healthy to start with, you can put a laying box in with her and leave her in peace - chances are she'll be fine.

 

[Chip]

This animal WAS NOT cooled down , and this still happened. I just hope she doesn't get Egg Bound. I'm really worried. Thanks for the help

She's not likely to get egg-bound, at least no more likely than any other female snake any other year. Relax. It happens a lot. Brumating just seems to increase likelihood of eggs, IME, but slugs aren't something I'd worry about. I can't remember the last year something didn't slug me!

 

[Stephen29]

Well I have another female corn that on 2-28-09 I noticed small lumps along the belly. Eggs or slugs ? And right now she is in Blue. Can't remember if she has had a shed in between now and then. Anyway i hope this is the Pre lay shed. And a Lay box has been present for both of theses animals for the past 8 weeks . If they laid all slugs I would be fine with that. Better than than being egg bound.

So If I understand this right : Once a female corn has been bred she will continualy lay eggs fertilized or not year after year. Even if she was not breed during a year that was skipped ? I have an 05 anery female that has never been bred, and I noticed she does not have ANY EGGS OR SLUGS this year or the last.

Thanks for the help. I'm always trying to learn more about these critters.

 

[Chip]

I have a female GBK that has never been bred, and usually isn't brumated. She lays one tiny clutch of slugs every year. I give many regular females a year off and most never lay a slug, though it happens. I don't think it has anything to do with the female's virginity. The season just speaks to them sometimes, is what it seems.