Pregnant wild checkered? What to do....

[confused]

Caught a very very very fat female who seems ready to lay babies any second. She's not trying to escape at all. Just burrowed into the paper towels and slept.

Any advice? Third snake I've caught this month in my bedroom. One I couldn't save, a lot of snakes seem to die in my house so I tend to try to rehab the ones I catch with something going on. Caught a milksnake that seems to be my pet after I got her fat again. This one seems healthy. I have no idea if I'm supposed to feed her etc. I have no idea what to do with babies. I will let her go after she lays her kids is the plan as of this moment, but I caught her like 5 minutes ago. Just the current thoughts.

Thanks!

I'll take photo's when she has some time to unfreak out.

[kibakiba]

Garter snakes don't lay actual eggs. The babies are born in thin membranes and come out after they're born.

[confused]

Ha you caught me before the edit. Forgot about that for a sec. I only rehab snakes really.

Any certain way to tell shes pregnant? I've never seen such a small fat snake.

[kibakiba]

any way you could post a picture? If she's just eaten she'd look slightly fat, but usually when they're really fat looking from the midsection down, they're pregnant/gravid.

[confused]

Absolutely. Let me give her a few more to calm down. Thanks for the help.

[guidofatherof5]

You said you rehab snakes. Is she injured?
Babies are a big responsibility. If she isn't injured why not release her back to the wild?

[confused]

I'm not sure whats up with her besides if shes gravid it looks any second, I've never seen a snake not run. I am planning on letting her go, but since shes not running shes kinda a sitting target right now.

That's the third snake this month same room. I have enough snakes apparently.

I only rehab the snakes my house injures, the one I lost tore itself open a a piece of tape it ran into and couldnt get off. I used to work wild animal rehab and in animal labs so I'm not entirely clueless. Don't worry. I also apparently have many many snakes living in my house. Three species so far.

[guidofatherof5]

You are right, she many be getting ready to have her babies.
All the more reason for her to be back in the wild as long as nothing wrong with her.
Keeping her stress down is important if she is about to give birth.
Just my opinion.

[confused]

You certainly know best.... however I bet you'd keep the babies!

I won't do much tonight. I don't know a good spot and I don't want to re release her on my property. Pretty sure I saw her in the front yard last week. Wonder if I am going to wake up to babies. If I do?

[kibakiba]

I'd let them go asap, so they can get used to living in the wild from the time they're born. I don't believe snakes ever lose their instincts, but it would be best for the babies to be put outside.