Slugs why?

[gozz]

What causes slugs? Any theories please put them up,
Also i would like to know how many clutches have people
had this year and how many good eggs to how many slugs
produced
I have 2 clutches this year total of 26 eggs no slugs cheers

 

[Kersten]

So far no slugs this year. Clutches aren't finished being laid yet though, fingers crossed.

That being said, the year Kris bought his Western Browns, the female had already laid two clutches of (as fr as I know healthy) eggs, and after she arrived here she laid a third. All slugs. I'd be interested to know what causes it myself.

 

[gozz]

It interests me in finding out if the breeders who have produced
slugs in the past, what percentage was in the clutch ?and also do they produce slugs
in every clutch they lay, Is feeding and conditioning does this play a part say,feeding fresh killed
to frozen, to variaty of prey items etc , does anyone have any thoughts on this cheers

 

[mysnakesau]

Slugs are produced when a female ovulates and the follicles aren't fertilized. If fertilization doesn't happen at this point, the eggs are at the point of no return and have to keep on going through its cycle. So to get a clutch of some slugs and some good eggs, obviously some of them didn't meet the little swimmer.

 

[Kersten]

Yep Kathy, I'm wondering though, what causes the inability to fertilize all the eggs?

 

[The Devil]

Slugs are produced when a female ovulates and the follicles aren't fertilized. If fertilization doesn't happen at this point, the eggs are at the point of no return and have to keep on going through its cycle. So to get a clutch of some slugs and some good eggs, obviously some of them didn't meet the little swimmer.

I was of the understanding that when the follicles were released they were the same size as the egg that is laid.
Maybe this is wrong as I've seen lots of slugs that are much, much smaller that the normal egg.

 

[Contagion]

Yep Kathy, I'm wondering though, what causes the inability to fertilize all the eggs?

In the case of a whole clutch being slugs, probably the male not producing viable sperm. In the case of an incomplete clutch, perhaps there was just a few eggs that were never actually encountered by sperm, but continued developement because of the other, already fertilized eggs?

 

[mysnakesau]

Oh ok. Sorry to undermine your knowledge.

I have a book here that says Gravid females exposed to consistently high temperatures produce egg clutches with a high rate of infertility. Premature oviposition also may be caused by exposure to excessively high temperatures Quoted from The Reproductive Husbandry of Pythons and Boas by Richard A. Ross, MD., MPH, Gerald Marzec

 

[JasonL]

I think there may be various reasons why females may lay slugs, everything from temperature to genetic problems.

 

[gozz]

Iam really after people opinions and experiance
not everything you read is right, look at how people
breed without cooling also they feed when breeding

 

[Colin]

Oh ok. Sorry to undermine your knowledge.

I have a book here that says Gravid females exposed to consistently high temperatures produce egg clutches with a high rate of infertility. Premature oviposition also may be caused by exposure to excessively high temperatures Quoted from The Reproductive Husbandry of Pythons and Boas by Richard A. Ross, MD., MPH, Gerald Marzec

In my opinion thats one of the BEST reptile books ever written and is still a great reference even after 18 years.. richard ross came out to australia in 1991 I think it was for the AHS convention.. gave a great talk too.. I might be out slighty on the dates it was around then..

 

[Contagion]

also they feed when breeding

Hmmm... Something interesting to note. Couple of very experienced breeders I know fed through cooling etc this year, I'm fairly sure they usually wouldn't, and had dissapointing seasons this year. Could be a factor, may have just been a bad year for them.

 

[gozz]

One of my gravid girls ate 3 meals before laying

 

[orientalis]

Slugs are produced when a female ovulates and the follicles aren't fertilized

This statement is not actually quite right, although i do understand what you were trying to say.

Basically, a female releases ova(follicles) into her ducts, around 1 month prior to Ovulation.(not the same gestation for all pythons either)

Between the swelling where ova are released and her swelling where she ovulates, is when the follicles become fertilised.

Once a female has ovulated, this is when the eggs are going to be deposited.

They can be either, slugs, good looking eggs which are not fertile, fertile eggs or a mixture of these.

They can only reabsorb prior to ovulation, not after.

Hope this helps