Little girls produce too!!

[vanderkm]

This little girl finally produced last night. She has been a very small corn all her life - never a vigorous feeder - at 3 years old she only takes a hopper mouse every couple weeks, but seems to be fit, even though small. She is just over 3 feet long, but when she came out of brumation this spring I decided she had to be more than a pretty face - and breeding her might just be enough to jump start her (or do her in - one way or the other - I decided to know).

She was bred to two males - a creamsicle and a normal striped - to be able to distinguish offspring (unless the normal stripe is het albino!). She has eaten three hopper mice since coming out of brumation but remained active and vigorous and appears healthy even though she is so small.

She laid 15 eggs and one little yellowish 'nubbin' yesterday. I left it attached to the group - it is on the right side of the photo. Though two eggs are smaller than the rest, they look good and I am hopeful I will get some pretty babies from her. She didn't seem to lose much condition from the clutch - expect this may get her appetite going.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/509/6304_June_7_Ivy_Nibblet_Sabados_clutch.jpg

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/509/6304_June_7_Ivy_Nibblet_Sabados_clutch_4_.jpg

mary v.

[BoidKeeper]

Nice! She looks reverse Okeetee.
Congrats,
Trevor

[marisa]

Wow nice eggs! They look much nicer than the ones I got this year. Cute little corn too.

Marisa

[Jeff_Favelle]

Totally COOL Mary!!! :D

[Simon]

Nice!!

Congrats on the eggs!!

[gonesnakee]

Congrats Mary, my "Lil Girl" is a poor eater usually too, but has been quite ravenous since egglaying. Its amazing how many eggs the little ones lay some times. She lays more eggs than girls double her size & very rarely a slug to be seen. No matter how much she eats she will never be a big snake, but produces big healthy clutches twice a year : ) Bigger is better but the litttle ones will surprise ya too. Good Luck Mark

[corrado]

Congrats good thing come in small packages!

[Katt]

Woo hooo EGGS!! Can't get enough of them!

[vanderkm]

She is quite a pretty little girl - closest to a reverse Okeetee that I have - quite thick white borders but still nice bright saddles.

Here she is in her pre-breeding condition
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/509/6304_Jan_2_Ivy_8_reduced1.jpg

I am a bit concerned about perpetuating the small size and less than ideal appetite, but at least she is fit enough to breed and lay normally with no problems, so maybe I should consider that good things can come in small packages and enjoy some of the smaller corns! She did gobble down her post lay hopper mouse, so maybe she will be like 'Lil Girl' Mark!

I am really interested to see if the two smallest good eggs hatch - they are half the size of the rest, but look normal - didn't candle yet.

mary v.

[MarcB]

Nice clutch of eggs from a small girl, Congrats Mary....

About those two smaller eggs, I've had this happen a few times with smaller then usual eggs, we are always leaning towards infertility with those tiny eggs BUT did hatch fully formed healthy tiny babies from such eggs.

They were so small and would only be able to swallow parts of mice tails (not very nutriteous) for a few month until big enough for newborn pinks. They did catch up in size to their normal siblings.

Keep us posted on those