| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Red123 |
Posted - 23/04/2013 : 11:23:21
I am beginning to wonder if Stan is a female. He has not eating since mid february, not unusual for this time of year and on handling him today there seems to be small soft swellings on the lower part of his body. I can feel four of them  . They are by no means hard and I can only just feel and slightly seem them, sort of marble size. I am wondering if these could be follicles? I have given him an extra large box of damp moss. I don't know if infertile eggs will be laid or if they can reabsorb them if not mated. |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kellog |
Posted - 26/06/2013 : 08:42:10
I'm glad Stan hasn't laid any slugs Rachel. It is strange what happened, not something I've experienced before. I have experienced Silvi laying slugs twice. The first time was a total surprise. I'd had her probed and was told she was a he  . 'He' then went off 'his' food and started doing the breeding season dance, just like Kellog, so I wasn't worried. I noticed that 'he'd' spent a couple of days in 'his' cool hide so assumed 'he'd' calmed down. Went to get him out to handle, planning on trying to feed 'him' later and found 11 slugs !! I'd handled HER just a couple of days before and hadn't felt anything.
It happened again this year, so 2 years after the last time. Obviously I knew it could, when she went off her food and started being more active. Noticed she was showing signs of going blue and got her out, having handled her the day before. Just in that time she'd gone from feeling normal to feeling all lumpy and bumpy  . The next day there were 9 slugs.
Not all females do it Coal, from what I can work out the majority don't.
So Stan is remaining Stan, instead of turning into Stella. With me it was a case of Silvesta becoming Silvi, which worked well  .
Xxx
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| lupi lou |
Posted - 25/06/2013 : 16:06:23
That's good news, one less think to worry about until the little tinkers cook something else up! |
| herriotfan |
Posted - 25/06/2013 : 15:53:32
quote:
Originally posted by Red123
Well no eggs have appeared and he has shed twice and still nothing, phew, so until he proves to me otherwise Stan will remain a Stan lol.
That's a relief for you!
There was no hint of any eggs with my two girls until they laid, one double clutched too. Just goes to show how our snakes all vary. I know some gravid females can be huge.  |
| Coal |
Posted - 25/06/2013 : 15:53:19
Wow, what a strange experience, glad your snake ended up not laying, that must be a very stressful experience for them.
I had not realised that female corns could lay eggs without mating, makes me glad that mine is male. Do all/most female snakes do this then (would like to know so I can prepare if I ever get a female).
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| Red123 |
Posted - 25/06/2013 : 15:39:24
Well no eggs have appeared and he has shed twice and still nothing, phew, so until he proves to me otherwise Stan will remain a Stan lol. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 24/04/2013 : 07:18:57
quote:
Originally posted by Sta~ple
I never feel eggs in my lot........
I hope that he stays a Stan for you though.
I was the same with Silvi the first time, which is why it was such a shock....and she's such a slim/thin snake you would have thought she couldnt hide eggs. This time I felt them the day before she laid, having handled her the day before that and felt nothing. But it was a definite 'bumpiness' and you could even see the change in her shape.
I totally agree with Sta~ple on hoping that Stan stays Stan and doesn't turn into Stella.
Xxx
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| Sta~ple |
Posted - 23/04/2013 : 19:23:46
I never feel eggs in my lot D: They both looked normal and felt it until they laid the first egg and then it was like BAM, large bottom :P
I hope that he stays a Stan for you though. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 23/04/2013 : 19:02:47
I'm so sorry Rachel, I hadn't realised what you'd gone through with Sid/Sindy  . No wonder this is your worst nightmare. The positives are that Stan is a good weight. Silvi dropped below to 250g the first time she laid slugs. This time was a bit better, she stayed just above 300g and got eating quicker.
As far as I can tell, snakes can re-absorb follicles, but not eggs....so I'm GUESSING it could happen. This taken from Kathy Love's book The Comprehensive Owners Guide To Corn Snakes:
"Snakes can absorb UNFERTILIZED eggs (ova) back into their bodies if the time is reached when they apparently will not be fertilized that season. The soon-to-be eggs may have been fully formed and ready to go, giving the female corn the physical appearance and pudgy feel of carrying actual fertilized eggs about to be laid."
I think you have to prepare yourself for the fact that Stan is going to lay....and if she doesn't then it's a bonus. I know it's going to be a really tough time for you, after what happened with Sid/Sindy....but try to remember that lots of snakes do lay eggs and slugs successfully, even my little Silvi.
Xxx
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| lupi lou |
Posted - 23/04/2013 : 14:16:25
I have no idea about this but I would have thought that if not all female snakes lay slugs then they probably do reabsorb? As wouldn't they develop follicles as part of getting ready for breeding? |
| Red123 |
Posted - 23/04/2013 : 13:41:19
I have to stay this is my worst nightmare. If you remember last year we ended up having Sid/Sindy PTS when she prolapsed severely after laying infertile eggs. I really thought Stan was a Stan lol. Guess the stumpy tail is misleading. He/She last ate on 21st february and weighed 883g has not eaten since then. Weighed this morning and has lost weight now down 827g. Has been extremely active throughout and still is. Last shed was on 21st March.
Could she reabsorb? I know other animals can but haven't a clue whether snakes can. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 23/04/2013 : 12:12:59
It does sound like it Rachel. I'm just glad you got some warning about it...I didn't! Silvi was probed as male and a couple of months later laid 11 slugs ! She'd never been with a male and had been underweight when I took her on. She lost all the weight she'd gained and its been a struggle getting it back on her. That was 2yrs ago and the little minx has done it again this year ....but at least I knew what to expect. She lost 50g in 4 days!
There isn't much you can do for her at the moment, other than what you've done with putting in the lay box. It's just a case of wait and see. You might find this thread on Slugs an interesting read....but don't let it scare you! She will probably go blue and shed before she lays, if she does....although Silvi did it the other way around both times  . Also, as you'll see in the thread, they don't lay them all at once. This time Silvi laid her last egg, which was about half the size of the others, 10 days later.
What sort of weight is Stan? Once she's laid offer her some food. It may be worthwhile offering her a smaller prey item than she usually has, unless she's normally a good feeder, in which case she should snap up whatever you give her because she'll be a hungry little snake!
Let us know how she gets on.
Xxx
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| smart bunny |
Posted - 23/04/2013 : 11:49:31
Ooooh sounds likely lol! I am not sure as not experienced it myself, but I am sure I read somewhere that it could be ovulation and just reabsorbed which I hope is the case for you - don't want to go through the worry of laying if she can help it :( |
