Ball Python Egg Bound

[Faith]

Thank you BPMachine. I am so excited. I just hope she survives. She is a beautiful snake and out first clutch was a disaster but we made it!!!

BTW-- I am a female

My hubbie knows a lot but this was our first ever breed. We both were at a loss as to what to do. We're learning!!!!

[frankykeno]

What wondeful news Faith! I will preface my suggestions with this...I am a newbie breeder myself, I have never dealt with an eggbound snake...what I will suggest is just my gut instincts and I do hope one of our vet tech members or an experienced breeder will pop in and give you further advice. This is however what I would instinctively do where I faced with your situation.

I would place the female back in her home enclosure first replacing all loose substrate with a few layers of plain white paper towels so you can quickly see if there is continued discharge from the vent and also to keep loose particles from her open vent. I would put her enclosure in the quietest room in my house, keeping the lights low and traffic around her to a bare minimum. If I couldn't move the enclosure for some reason I'd likely cover most of it with a dark sheet to give her the maximum amount of privacy and quiet. I would provide her two hides, clean water and leave her be other than to administer any further meds the vet has suggested. I would keep a close but quiet eye on her. I would not feed her at this point as the act of constriction and digestion might overstress her already likely very tired and shocky system.

I know in a normal egg laying the female is cleaned up and fed fairly soon afterwards but I would be concerned that your female is likely extremely stressed physically and not in condition to eat at this time. I would make her first feeding a smaller than normal one, see how that goes and slowly work her back up to her normal feeding routine once you are certain she's okay. The last thing I would want right now is a regurge.

Please again remember Faith I am not an experienced breeder, a vet or a vet tech. These are just gut reactions and things I would likely do myself when faced with any creature that's had a rough birthing (well laying to be exact) experience.

[Faith]

Thank you very much for the advice Franky. It means a lot to me. You guys have been my angels.

[frankykeno]

Your welcome hon and feel free to call me Joanna (Franky makes me feel like a guy lol). You deserve a ton of credit for working with your snake and not giving up against what must have been some scary odds. Did the eggs you first got her off of look good? I hope they hatch out for you and that your female bounces back from this experience.

[Faith]

Your welcome hon and feel free to call me Joanna (Franky makes me feel like a guy lol). You deserve a ton of credit for working with your snake and not giving up against what must have been some scary odds. Did the eggs you first got her off of look good? I hope they hatch out for you and that your female bounces back from this experience.

Joanna, Yes, the first 4 eggs looks great. Time will tell if they survive.

After her bath she is in her bed all warm and cozy. I stapled an old burgundy curtain to cover the glass so it will be nice and dark.

She has a lot of fire in her. She is very active. After her bath I dried her with a towel and held her and rubbed her. She was all over me. She is almost 5ft long and just a loving snake. I pray she keeps that fire and bounces back quickly.

[frankykeno]

I'm sure we're all praying with you. Please let us know how she does. Oh what is her name by the way?

[Faith]

I'm sure we're all praying with you. Please let us know how she does. Oh what is her name by the way?

Her name is Big Bertha. She's right at 5 ft long and the most gentlest one we have. She loves being held and rubbed. She's a mommy's girl.

[AzureN1ght]

Yesssssssssssssssssss, I got the eggs out. . her vent looks stretched, will that close up? I am so excited!!

I soaked her for an hour and took her half way out while I massages the upper egg, it only took a few minutes for it to slide all the way down, within seconds it was out. I put fresh warm water in the soaking tub and have her soaking now.

Thank you all so very much for your help. Is there anything else I need to do or need to know?

When do I try and feed her?

I am so very excited. I pray to God she survives.

Bless you all.

Faith

Oh, Faith! I'm SO glad to hear that your girl got those eggs passed. Now it's just a matter of time and patience before she heals up and is good as new, I'm sure

I'm new to BPs, and have NO experience with breeding at all...so I can't really offer advice there... but I'm sure someone more experienced will come along to give their

I love happy endings!

[muddoc]

Faith,
Sorry I couldn't be more help. Our internet has been down for three days. I was out of contact allday today. I'm glad she passed her last eg. It sounds to me that she will be alright. Just my advice. If you truly believe her to be done with eggs, give her a good bath to wash the smell of eggs off of her. Then clean her enclosure really well and change her bedding. Replace her, and leave her alone for at least a week. After her seven days of relaxation, offer her a small meal. If she does not take the meal, leave her alone for another week, and attempt feeding again. Have patience and she will come around. These snakes are very resilient animals. I believe she will be alright, but she has been through alot, and make take small steps toward a full recovery. Have faith and patience, and I believe she will be alright.

[Faith]

Faith,
Sorry I couldn't be more help. Our internet has been down for three days. I was out of contact allday today. I'm glad she passed her last eg. It sounds to me that she will be alright. Just my advice. If you truly believe her to be done with eggs, give her a good bath to wash the smell of eggs off of her. Then clean her enclosure really well and change her bedding. Replace her, and leave her alone for at least a week. After her seven days of relaxation, offer her a small meal. If she does not take the meal, leave her alone for another week, and attempt feeding again. Have patience and she will come around. These snakes are very resilient animals. I believe she will be alright, but she has been through alot, and make take small steps toward a full recovery. Have faith and patience, and I believe she will be alright.

Thanks for the advice Tim. The vet called me again today to check on her, he told me to give her a bath twice a day (85 to 90) and put some ky jelly around her vent to keep it moist until it closes completely up. I know all the eggs are out due to the xray.

We took all the aspen bedding out of her cage and are using paper for the time being hoping this will help keep down infections due to her vent being opened a small amount.

If she pulls through this she will be my miracle for 2007. I have cried and cried over her. I could not accept bringing her home to die. I thank the members here at BP.net for all the help and encouragement I've received..

Faith