Re: Suboc's egg binding

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Posted by Carl on September 06, 2001 at 14:54:50:

In Reply to: Re: Suboc's egg binding posted by markg on September 05, 2001 at 10:35:40:

: Take the following advice if it applies in your case. Years ago I lost a gorgeous Sinaloan female due to egg binding. I then did what I described below and never had egg binding again in any snake I worked with.

: Egg binding can at least in part be caused by a lack of muscle tone due to very small cages or snakes not being able to exercise. Subocs are excellent rock and crevice climbers in nature - they use some muscle.

: The other factor might be that the female did not find a nest site that was suitable for her, so she kept the eggs in.

: I would suggest that you let the snakes get some exercise from time to time - either with larger cages or else taking the snakes out and letting them climb around sometimes. With larger cages you can put in a few nest boxes so the female can choose. Now that I have fewer snakes I use cages the size of Neodesha 3ft-ers and Vision 221s for snakes larger than 3 1/2ft. For nestboxes, I have tried one larger box with a moisture gradient and have also done two nest boxes - one slightly drier than the other. I haven't noticed any preferences - the females just pick a box.

: Good luck.
Thanks for the reply..I'v read about the exercise
theory..Our animals are handled fairly often..I
don't quite know what to think of
the lack of muscle tone theory...
Hide box for laying...Defintely could have been
a problem...While I provided a nice hollow log,
I did not have a "nesting box" I've read that
many times and it just didn't sink in..It will
now...Carl

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: : Take the following advice if it applies in your case. Years ago I lost a gorgeous Sinaloan female due to egg binding. I then did what I described below and never had egg binding again in any snake I worked with. : : Egg binding can at least in part be caused by a lack of muscle tone due to very small cages or snakes not being able to exercise. Subocs are excellent rock and crevice climbers in nature - they use some muscle. : : The other factor might be that the female did not find a nest site that was suitable for her, so she kept the eggs in. : : I would suggest that you let the snakes get some exercise from time to time - either with larger cages or else taking the snakes out and letting them climb around sometimes. With larger cages you can put in a few nest boxes so the female can choose. Now that I have fewer snakes I use cages the size of Neodesha 3ft-ers and Vision 221s for snakes larger than 3 1/2ft. For nestboxes, I have tried one larger box with a moisture gradient and have also done two nest boxes - one slightly drier than the other. I haven't noticed any preferences - the females just pick a box. : : Good luck. : Thanks for the reply..I'v read about the exercise : theory..Our animals are handled fairly often..I : don't quite know what to think of : the lack of muscle tone theory... : Hide box for laying...Defintely could have been : a problem...While I provided a nice hollow log, : I did not have a "nesting box" I've read that : many times and it just didn't sink in..It will : now...Carl

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