Slug Issue

[PigsnPythons]

I have a female pastel who has laid a substainal number of slugs for two years in a row,

Year 1: She is only 2 years old, but over 2000 grams (solid but definately not overweight). I breed her to my spider and get 4 slugs and 3 good eggs (no bee)

Year 2: I thought I might give her the year off, but she gained back all the weight plus some and was showing good signs, I pair her with the spider again and get 8 slugs no good eggs

The spider fathered another clutch of 8 fertile eggs, so I don't think he is the problem.

So, do you think that she just isn't a good breeder? Should I give her the year off and try one more time? I had a clutch of 8 and a clutch of 7 from girls that are in the same rack, so I don't think its an environmental issue.

[kellysballs]

If she was my animal I would give her a year off. Feed her smallish prey items once every 10 days and make sure she is in good health but not overweight. My gut instinct is that she is overweight. I have heard from many breeders that fat females lay slugs.

Hope it helps and I am sorry your having trouble.

[m00kfu]

Were your temperatures consistent through the whole season? The reason I ask is we had 10 clutches of eggs laid with no slugs this year until a week or so ago when our spider girl dropped a clutch of mostly slugs (2 eggs, 9 slugs). I'm almost positive it had to do with the high temperatures we've been having here this summer being that she didn't ovulate before the highs started hitting and everyone else did. It's tough to keep those follicles cool when the room temperature is 88 degrees...

[don15681]

A slug is the product of a premature ovulation.

[seeya205]

I would give her meals every 10-14 days and skip this season! It would not be a bad thing if she only got to 1800 grams! If she still has a bad clutch then she may be a bad breeder!

[PigsnPythons]

Thanks for the advice. I don't think she's overweight (she's the same girth/size as my breeding females that had big healthy clutches), but I will back down her feeding schedule anyway. I mean it can't hurt at this point.

I moved from North Carolina to Texas this summer (temps have actually been about the same this summer), and my room-mate kept all my snakes until I had gotten settled. The way everything lines up she would have ovulated before she was shipped to me. But, I guess it still could have thrown off her cycle that she changed racks.

Thanks again.

[Quiet Tempest]

I'm not sure what could be causing it.. I'd give her a year off and try again after a season.

[Big Gunns]

Not sure a year off is gonna do anything. Snakes are not machines. They are living creatures with problems just like people. Your female may have some issues that you may never know. The only thing you can do is keep trying and see what happens. Although this male has given you good eggs from other girls, BG might try another male and see what happens. Good luck.