Removing Eggs From An Egg Bound Snake

This egg bound female desert king snake (Lampropeltis Splendida) would have died if we hadn't manually removed these eggs. Sometimes an egg must be manually turned and removed if it gets turned sideway during laying. She laid her clutch, but the last 2 eggs were stuck so we helped her to get 'em out. SInce this video was made, she has made a full recovery and is continuing to feed and digest with no issues. Egg binding,also known as dystocia, is a common, and sometimes fatal condition, the cause of which is not fully known. Some things that we have learned about the condition.
1 - Snakes seldom reabsorb the egg if it is not laid. In fact, contrary to what many books claim, I have NEVER experienced a snake that reabsorbed an egg.
2 - If the egg is allowed to remain, it is fatal.
3 - When eggs are removed the snakes recover and continue to live and breed with no future issues.
4 - We have gone many seasons without a single snake getting egg bound, but when and if one snake gets it, others seem to do so too in the same season. It has been suggested that weather conditions could be a factor in this in some unknown way, as other breeders have told us their experience has been the same.

I'd like to say a big Thank You to Dr. Bernard Bechtel, who taught me how to remove eggs from snakes in this condition, as well as how to offer follow up care to an animal after the removal of the eggs. Dr. Bechtel was a friend and a mentor that I will never forget.