Interesting ....

[Hankj]

And like a chicken egg has big enough pores to allow oxygen and CO2 to pass through it right? Wouldn't the garter pre-hatching (?) need to have oxygen, that all happens inside the snake?

[ConcinusMan]

Yes. It does. There is gas exchange inside the mother, but not nutrient exchange. After the babies are born, they must get out of the sack immediately and start breathing or they will die. Sometimes this happens before they are born and you get fully developed still borns.

Garter snakes are ovoviviparous: Ovoviviparity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Hankj]

Does the shell just dissolve away from the babies or do they hatch in the mother??

[ConcinusMan]

There is no shell just as there is no shell on a bird's egg until it's being laid. The shell goes on as it is being laid, and hardens moments after coming out.

Garters obviously do not have to put the shell on since the babies are ready to hatch.

[Hankj]

Hmm thanks for the info

[guidofatherof5]

Here is a newborn T.radix. Still in its shell membrane.
This little one still hasn't taken its first breath.

[Hankj]

Will it "hatch" ?

[guidofatherof5]

Will it "hatch" ?

It's first job is to break out of the membrane. They usually do that within moments of being born. This little one did great and is still with me.

[ConcinusMan]

Skip to 1:45 and you'll see one "hatch"



If the humidity is very low, or they are born on a very absorbent material, the membrane dries out and they die inside. That's one of the reasons people come home to find most of the babies never made it out of their membranes and died. Some babies struggle and just can't get out. That's why I like to be there to help. The one litter born in my absence last year resulted in 10 dead babies, still in the membranes. 20 made it though.

[Hankj]

Wow great videos guys. I cracked up when the brother/sister came waltzing over to see how the little guy was going hahaha