DOA Gravid Dasypeltis inornata - Southern Brown Egg Eater

[Serpent]

I found this egg eater in a flower bed in my garden, she could not have been dead for more than a day or so. There were no signs of injury apart from her vent area looking discoloured and infected, perhaps she was egg bound. Poor snake.

[Mitton]

She looks full of eggs, must have been egg bound.
Did you try remove the eggs, maybe they can still be saved?

[Serpent]

Mitton what self respecting herper does not disect a dead gravid snake? All eggs went hard, like a boiled egg accept for one, I have candled the egg but it does not look promising.

[Serpent]

The snake was in the sun though for at least a day, which could not have helped much.

[Bushviper]

Those eggs do not look viable. Possibly this intense heat we have been having just ended up dehydrating her to the point where she became egg bound.

I have heard of people saving eggs from dead specimens and even a mole snake from which 25 live babies were removed a whole night after she was killed but my record so far is dismal.

[Westley Price]

Hey Serpent

How are the eggs looking?

Did they all go off or are some of them still looking good?

[Unforgiven]

What Westley said?

We have had a really hot summer this year surprisingly

[Serpent]

No luck. They all went mouldy and brown. I guess I was too late and they were too far gone.

[Westley Price]

At least you gave them the best chance!

[Serpent]

Thanks for the words of encouragement Westley. It would have been quite a story if they did hatch though hey!