Heather, though the info is not that great, this little excerpt might give you some more terms to look into, such as dystocia, dystocic, etc.
What's the latest theory on egg binding (or egg retention) in snakes? I often hear that it is more common in young snakes, however I've never experienced this problem with first time breeders - only with larger, more "experienced" snakes.
There really aren't any new theories about why snakes retain eggs, just more evidence pointing to the correctness of previously held theories. Egg binding, or dystocia, in snakes (and lizards) is divided into two categories: preovulatory egg retention (more commonly seen in lizards), which refers to cessation of egg development before the shell is laid down. This creates a mass of yolks in the abdomen. These non-shelled eggs may be reabsorbed after a time, or may create problems for the snake such as "egg peritonitis." This is inflammation or infection in the abdomen that may occur due to the rupture of one of the eggs. The other form is postovulatory egg retention. In this form, which is more common in snakes, the shelled egg is retained in the reproductive tract for a variety of reasons. There appears to be a greater incidence of dystocia from infertile eggs than fertile ones, and yes, evidence also indicates perhaps a higher incidence in sub-adult and geriatric snakes. The practice of "power feeding" for rapid growth in youngsters may foster the breeding of snakes that are not as sexually mature as they appear. The same desire for as many clutches from one female as possible may also lead to breeding an older female that is past her safe reproductive years. Some breeders also double-clutch their snakes, which may also create problems with egg retention, especially with the colubrid snakes. Pythons and boas may have problems if bred annually.
In the captive snake population, most egg retention problems are related to an unsuitable environment. This includes improper temperature and humidity, incorrect lighting type and duration, an inappropriate nesting place with undesirable nesting material, overcrowding, and inadequate cage size. Additionally, the snake must be provided with a sense of security and seclusion. Too much handling, or too much activity around the housing, may also make a difference. Metabolic disturbances (especially involving calcium), infections of the shell glands, oviducts, or cloaca, systemic infections, or obstructions (by egg abnormalities, tumors, torsions or prolapses, for instance) have all been implicated in the retention of eggs. Importantly, it is thought that poor muscle condition, from lack of exercise and overfeeding, is also a critical and often overlooked factor in reproductive problems of captive snakes. This may be especially true for the snakes that oviposit most of their clutch, but retain the last few eggs.
Your experience may be related to the age and size of your older, larger breeders. In addition to the above, snakes usually produce more eggs with each cycle as they age and grow. This requires more exact attention to the details of their environment and feeding, as their body competes with an ever-increasing demand for nutrients from the increased number of eggs. More eggs also take up more abdominal room, impinging on the space usually occupied by the gastrointestinal tract. The eggs may even compress the intestinal tract to such an extent as to cause bloat and obstruction, leading to GI stasis and secondary constriction of blood flow. This can have devastating consequences, and can also lead to egg retention.
Thank you for your questions. Talk to you next month!
Linda Randall, DVM, ABVP
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And I can't find it on any dictionary site.
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