HELP!!!! Egg laying- how long does it take?

My snake, "Lefty", is trying to lay eggs for the first time. It's been about 36 hours with no egg produced, though her vent is wide and red. She keeps moving around the cage. I've never done this before. What's normal? How long should it take? Is there anything I can do? Help!!!

relax first off, she is probably trying to reposition the eggs by moving around, congrats!!!

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Originally Posted by jcaustralia

relax first off, she is probably trying to reposition the eggs by moving around, congrats!!!

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Are you serious? .... The poster said it's been 36 hours with no eggs ... are you sure you have enough experience to be giving this type of advice?

To the original poster ... whenever you have a question about the well being of your animal or if your animals health is in question ... THE MOST RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO is to call a local vet that can actually see the animal and examine it first hand ... no one on the internet can tell you what's wrong with your snake ... the animal HAS TO BE seen in person by someone trained/experienced in or with the species for a definitive answer.

Egg laying should not take 36 hours ... more than likely if all the information you've given is accurate ... there is a problem.

-adam

I agree with Adam contact a vet now.Keep us posted

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Are you serious? .... The poster said it's been 36 hours with no eggs ... are you sure you have enough experience to be giving this type of advice?

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first offf i miss read i though he said 3-6 hours.

36 hours yeah you need to contack a vet.

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Originally Posted by jcaustralia

first offf i miss read i though he said 3-6 hours.

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Well, at least the advice you gave for what you misread was correct. Good job?

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Well, at least the advice you gave for what you misread was correct. Good job?

-adam

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thank you:)

I HAVE called 2 vets and haven't gotten any return call....I'm trying everything possible to get help. Actually, posting to this list was faster. Thanks for the feedback. She's curled up in her cave on moist moss and is still a little swollen, but not laying. I'm calling back both vets.

Call them back and do not let them put you on hold, tell them this is an emergancy and that you need to either talk to one of the herp vets NOW or bring her in to be seen by one of them NOW!

Sorry if this is a dumb question...but how do you know she is gravid to begin with? Did you attempt to breed her this season?

Just by the "look" of your posts, I'm not certain you are showing the whole picture...

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Originally Posted by cseguin

I HAVE called 2 vets and haven't gotten any return call.

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Well, you DIDN'T say that in your first post. Thanks for providing all of the info in your request for help. Top notch. ;) :sweeet:

ROCK ON! :rockon:

-adam

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Sorry if this is a dumb question...but how do you know she is gravid to begin with? Did you attempt to breed her this season?

Just by the "look" of your posts, I'm not certain you are showing the whole picture...

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I wondered the same thing :eek: .

Look, I'm not a pro snake breeder like many of you- I'm a very busy classroom teacher who has two very well-loved ball pythons who were donated. They are male and female. She got very large around the lower half of her body and her vent is opening wide, with red tissue showing. What else might be happening if not egg-laying?

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Originally Posted by cseguin

Look, I'm not a pro snake breeder like many of you- I'm a very busy classroom teacher who has two very well-loved ball pythons who were donated. They are male and female. She got very large around the lower half of her body and her vent is opening wide, with red tissue showing. What else might be happening if not egg-laying?

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Try these listings to find a vet who specializes in herps/snakes...

http://www.arav.org/USMembers.htm

http://www.anapsid.org/vets/index.html#vetlist

I've never bred myself and can only guess. I'm wondering if that is what an "egg bound" female would look like? :(

Please don't give up on calling vets...even if you have to contact one that is out of your area, at least try to get some professional advice, if there is no one remotely local to you that can help in person.

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Originally Posted by cseguin

Look, I'm not a pro snake breeder like many of you- I'm a very busy classroom teacher who has two very well-loved ball pythons who were donated. They are male and female. She got very large around the lower half of her body and her vent is opening wide, with red tissue showing. What else might be happening if not egg-laying?

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"Look" ... She could have a cloacal abcess ... she could be trying to pass some type of tumor ... she could have cellulitus ... there are tons of things that could be going on with her .... my point was/is that without seeing her in person NO ONE ON THE INTERNET can tell you for sure ... and since admittedly, you are are a "pro snake breeder", the best advice anyone on the internet can (and should) give you is to take the animal to someone that can look at her and accurately diagnose the problem.

Hope this helps.

-adam

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Originally Posted by cseguin

Look, I'm not a pro snake breeder like many of you- I'm a very busy classroom teacher who has two very well-loved ball pythons who were donated. They are male and female. She got very large around the lower half of her body and her vent is opening wide, with red tissue showing. What else might be happening if not egg-laying?

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First off responding like this will make people ignore your posts;) .Second no one can tell you for sure what is going on without being able to see the snake.Third if you are to busy to read up on ball pythons and there proper care.Or what to do if a emergency happens(you should have found a vet before now) maybe you should give these snakes to someone who has the time for them.I am not being rude here just honest.You need to contact a vet right now and tell them this is a emergency.

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Originally Posted by cseguin

Look, I'm not a pro snake breeder like many of you- I'm a very busy classroom teacher who has two very well-loved ball pythons who were donated. They are male and female. She got very large around the lower half of her body and her vent is opening wide, with red tissue showing. What else might be happening if not egg-laying?

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You should separate the snakes and keep them in two seperate enclosures. Best for the snakes and your situation is prime example as to why housing snakes together is a bad idea. As for your current situation I know if my ball was showing signs like you are I would have found a vet at all costs to see him yesterday.

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

"Look" ... She could have a cloacal abcess ... she could be trying to pass some type of tumor ... she could have cellulitus ... there are tons of things that could be going on with her .... my point was/is that without seeing her in person NO ONE ON THE INTERNET can tell you for sure ... and since admittedly, you are are a "pro snake breeder", the best advice anyone on the internet can (and should) give you is to take the animal to someone that can look at her and accurately diagnose the problem.

Hope this helps.

-adam

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I like you more and more everyday. :rockon:

Mea culpa, mea culpa. Sorry for expressing frustration at the implication that "by the 'look' of my posts I wasn't giving the whole picture". I came to this forum for help and support, not critique of my posting style. I don't have time to add graphics and don't know what else you want from me but an honest query. She's seeing a vet tonight. It was difficult to find one. Thanks to those of you who offered constructive help. I'll let you know how Lefty fares.:sabduel: :sabduel: :sabduel: :sunny: :carrot: :sabduel: :carrot: :carrot: :sunny: :sabduel: :sabduel: :sabduel: :sabduel: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: IS THAT BETTER?

Didnt you say that she was housed with another ball python? Do you kow for sure that she is female? Just wondering.

Yes, she lives with her pal, "Mr. Right", a 3 year old male. She is definitely a she.

Well Mr. Right needs a new home, they shouldnt be housed together. Trust me on this lol.

I did put Mr. Right in his own place for now. Spent a couple hours with the vet while he coaxed an egg out of Lefty using shots of warm mineral oil and gentle pressure. She pushed and did deep breathing and out came the most surprisingly huge egg. It was quite hard and, he thought, not viable. He felt about 3 more eggs in her, so we're going to wait another day to see if she can now pass those naturally. If, not we'll give her potossin. What a process. She's such a goood snake.

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Originally Posted by cseguin

I did put Mr. Right in his own place for now. Spent a couple hours with the vet while he coaxed an egg out of Lefty using shots of warm mineral oil and gentle pressure. She pushed and did deep breathing and out came the most surprisingly huge egg. It was quite hard and, he thought, not viable. He felt about 3 more eggs in her, so we're going to wait another day to see if she can now pass those naturally. If, not we'll give her potossin. What a process. She's such a goood snake.

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I'm not going to tell you what to do, but as for a suggestion for the well being of your two snakes you might wanna put Mr. Right in his own place for good, and not just for now. Eggs are only one of the negative possibilities in housing snakes together. If you feel you wanna read more about those risks there are plenty of threads about that topic that you could find using the search feature on the site. Best of luck to you guys, hope she passes those eggs.