I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas at the minute, as the countdown to eggs is well under way! Firstly, Monty (female Royal) is looking fit for bursting. I didn't personally spot ovulation, as A: this is my first season so I'm not too sure what I'm looking out for, and B: she's spending the majority of her time in the hot hide now, so I'm just leaving her alone.
Her size, however, has ballooned over the last two weeks, with her lower half now extremely bloated and almost solid to the touch - further palpating is now impossible. Additionally, the colour change to her appearance has continued, as she's coming out in some lovely light tones and blushings. Her belly is showing the tell tell signs of approaching shed very soon, which coupled with all the other signs, I'm taking as being her pre-lay shed, which she should start going into in around 4 days or so. As soon as she has completed her shed, I'll be putting a moss box into her vivarium which she'll hopefully use as a nest for laying her eggs in. So in around 45 days, I could have a few eggs! |
Additionally, the Corn snakes have been busy. Rory (female Amel) completed her pre lay shed yesterday, and is now scouting round her vivarium, presumable looking for somewhere good to lay her eggs, which could be with us sometime this week. She also has a moss box and keeps going in and out of it, so I'm hoping she chooses to use it - this will make removing the eggs so much easier and also stops them from drying while I'm in bed or at work.
Meanwhile, Cornelia (female Anery) has been paried a couple of times with Cornelius (male "Charcoal"). I'm particularly looking forward to this pairing as it will put to bed my doubts on whether the male is actually a Charcoal, or an Anery - if the hatchlings from this pairing are dark, then he's an Anery. If they are Carolina / Normals, then he's definitely a Charcoal - which makes Rorys hatchlings 100% het for Amel and Charcoal - the genes required for Blizzards, which is a long term project of mine. She isn't showing any signs yet, but if she follows the same schedule as Rory, she should be going into her pre lay shed sometime next week The incubator is on and up to temps, and vermiculite has been mixed. Bring on the eggs!. |