Clutch of something...without male

Hi,

This is my first post to BP.net..I'm glad I found this site! I have had my ball python for 14 years. Initially told it was a he. Over the past weeks although very active, he has little interest in food. (He will only eat live, nothing dead). I have purchased quite a few rats, which I simply returned when there was little interest

I awoke this morning to a surprise...my 14 Y/O BP had laid what appeared to be eggs..they are not white, rather more yoke colored and leathery looking. I count 3, but there may be more. The strange thing is I have never seen this snake do anything like this in over 14 years, and all of the sudden... I can assure you she has not been exposed to any males in 14 years. What would cause this to happen? Is this normal? I'll take a pic tonight and post it.

Help!

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...arthenogenesis

your snake laid slugs not eggs...that would explain why they are slugs if she has not been introduced to a male

I don't think there are any eggs in there..just slugs. Is it normal to lay slugs all of a sudden...after 14 years of nothing?

It is more likely they are urates (we have had people post similar stores here before and they almost always turn out to be urates)...post a pic when you can. :)

lord jackel,

You might be right, but I've seen plenty of urates from my snake before and none have looked this this. I will post pics tonight. Thanks for your help!

It sounds like infertile eggs (slugs) to me too. An animal does not have to be fertilized in order to lay eggs, chickens do it every day. Who knows what the trigger was to cause her lay eggs after 14 years? It could be differences in her diet, or a cooler winter or an earlier spring or more humid conditions, it could be a lot of different things. If they are eggs, one thing you want to make sure of is that she's now empty and has all the eggs out of her otherwise it could cause problems. If you post a pic, we could tell you what they are.

Mark

DUMB question.. now that I have the pics.. how do I get them up here???

Hi,


We have a couple of tutorials that should help.:)

A video tutorial by Iceman25.

And a sticky thread.

Hope those help.


dr del

Dr. Del,

Thanks...here we go:

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...CC006small.jpg

Slugs???

sure your bp does have a room mate, say a chicken? :)

look like slugs to me, and those don't look like urates.

Slugs... how strange.

Yup I'd say slugs.:(


You could candle them to check if you like.

Did you notice any ovulation or anything?



dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kagez28

look like slugs to me, and those don't look like urates.

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I agree...but very nice looking slugs :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

I agree...but very nice looking slugs :D

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:rofl:

Alright... now that we know they are slugs. What do i do? She doesn't seem real happy about us poking around in there. She actually hissed at me, which she has only done once in 14 years. Is she going to do this again? The only breeding experience I have is with horses.. quite a long ways from reptiles. She appears to be "empty" as she was climbing around and her belly was quite concave. When do I feed her agin? She has had little interest in food over the past few months. And how would I know she is ovulating? this is a lot to deal with on a Monday. :) And I can gaurentee, NO MALE. NO
other snakes for that matter.

And the last stupid question..... Does she want a man? At this point of my life I can believe anything.

wash her off with mild soap, clean the enclosure completely.


offer food weekly as normal.

ps throw away the slugs.



vaughn

Hi,


Well there are other far more experienced but heres the answers I've read;

Remove them and wash out the cage and her to remove all scent of them.

Feel along her underside to make sure you can't feel any left inside.

Check around the othjer threads to see how to get her started eating again after "removing the eggs" but yeah they tend to get a bit more stroppy I've been told.


dr del

Shes been quite the finicky eater her whole life, so I am sure this is going to be interesting. Out of curiosity, why remove the scent of the slugs? Will she be okay to remove them?

Hi,

She might be a little grumpy as this is often reported with new mothers **hides from any new mother members**.

Maternaly incubating mothers might not eat until the eggs have hatched so removing the scent of the eggs (or slugs in this case) might help get her started eating earlier.

As always these are genralisations and the animal should be your guide - if she looks like she is really going to nail you for example feel free to upgrade her from "grumpy" to "a bit peeved" and proceed accordingly.


dr del

She may strike which is just a maternal instict. Put a towel over her and it makes it much easier to remove her. You want to wash her and her enclosure to remove the scent of the eggs and other stuff frm laying. The scent will make her continue to be defensive and will keep her from feeding. Once all evidence of the eggs are removed she should start eanting within a week. The towel will help you and her with stress. And by the way wow! that is a trip! :eek:

Last note...
Is she going to do this again??

no way to know for sure. If she does, it'll be at least a year.

Get a male and then she'll do it for real and you'll have cute lil babies. :)

I once had a corn snake that had never been with another snake ever in her life lay 5 infertile eggs at the age of 14 months. I had never cycled her, she was kept in the same conditions that all of my other yearlings were kept at (and none of them layed eggs) and she had never missed a meal with the exception of the week before she layed. Sometimes it just works out that way. She turned out to be one of my best breeders.