# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry > Advanced BP Husbandry >  How Early Can you Cut Eggs

## lord jackel

Hey Gang...Figured this question is fairly advanced.  Simply put how early can you cut an egg and what do you need to watch out for?

Reason:  I have a clutch of eggs at day 46 they have started to get moldy and green (just started in the last 2 days not sure why they waited so long).  However, they still have veins(though they are getting fewer everyday).  I have seen movement in the eggs and it started me thinking at what point could I cut them to check for live animals (so I could remove any truly dead eggs) and/or to help a snake that might end up dying in the egg. 

Nothing "special" expected form the eggs but I would still like to save as many of the babies as possible.

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## gncz73

i have cut eggs at day 48 for the same reason just try not to cut the veins that early. but they should be fine if the eggs just started to mold

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## frankykeno

Sean, we cut at day 52.  However with one clutch I somehow miscounted my days and cut at day 45.  I can tell you I was totally freaked, ended up on the phone with Kara, Tim and Robin completely sure I'd gone and killed the hatchlings with my stupidity.

Said hatchlings are sitting in their hatchling boxes as I type this.  Just fine, eating me out of house and home and perfectly healthy.  Granted they all sat in those eggs that extra 7 days and didn't start coming out till day 53 but they all did quite fine being cut 7 days earlier than I'd planned.

P.S.  I know have the cut date written on each hatching box so I never miscount again.  Thanks for that suggestion Tim!  :Smile:

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## lord jackel

> i have cut eggs at day 48 for the same reason just try not to cut the veins that early. but they should be fine if the eggs just started to mold





> Sean, we cut at day 52.  However with one clutch I somehow miscounted my days and cut at day 45.  I can tell you I was totally freaked, ended up on the phone with Kara, Tim and Robin completely sure I'd gone and killed the hatchlings with my stupidity.
> 
> Said hatchlings are sitting in their hatchling boxes as I type this.  Just fine, eating me out of house and home and perfectly healthy.  Granted they all sat in those eggs that extra 7 days and didn't start coming out till day 53 but they all did quite fine being cut 7 days earlier than I'd planned.
> 
> P.S.  I know have the cut date written on each hatching box so I never miscount again.  Thanks for that suggestion Tim!


OK..I am off to go cut and try and save some kids...wish me luck.   I will post pics of the "adventure" shortly.

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## lord jackel

They were all dead  :Mad:   I am very disappointed especially once I opened up the eggs to look at the babies...perhaps I was wrong in saying they were nothing special. 

This first pic shows the eggs right before I cut them...the center egg had died a couple weeks ago but was attached so I didn't remove it...all the other eggs were white 2 days ago.


This is what I pulled out...a full stripe (on all the babies)!!



Dad was a imported Yellow Belly and mom was a normal CH from 3 years ago...though I always thought she was something special.  No stripes on either of them.

Pic of Mom (could she be a spectre (sp?) - I think they are ones that throw stripes when bred to YB)???  When I got her she was as bright as a Lemon Pastel but after laying browned out like a Grazy Pastel...she is neither as far as I know.

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## blackcrystal22

> They were all dead   I am very disappointed especially once I opened up the eggs to look at the babies...perhaps I was wrong in saying they were nothing special. 
> 
> This first pic shows the eggs right before I cut them...the center egg had died a couple weeks ago but was attached so I didn't remove it...all the other eggs were white 2 days ago.
> 
> 
> This is what I pulled out...a full stripe (on all the babies)!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm sorry to hear that man. It's never good to have anything like that happen. Good luck on your next try though, maybe you'll get some real special stripes. :]

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## gncz73

sorry to hear about your bad luck. they would have been hot babies too. better luck next year or with your next clutch

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## lord jackel

> I'm sorry to hear that man. It's never good to have anything like that happen. Good luck on your next try though, maybe you'll get some real special stripes. :]





> sorry to hear about your bad luck. they would have been hot babies too. better luck next year or with your next clutch


Thanks...I will definitely be trying again next season with this pairing...now I want to know what mom is or is carrying. 

Anyone got any ideas what it might be?

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## muddoc

Sean,
  did that clutch have any extremes while incubating(i.e. too wet, too hot, too cold)?  I ask that becasue extremes in incubation or "egg stress" have been known to create extreme looking snakes that aren't truly genetic(I believe that is what happened to the Halo clutch that Cue had a couple years ago).  Judging from the developement of those snakes, I would say that they died at around day 32 - 34.  Were the eggs slightly firm at all when you cut them?  I ask that also, to estimate when the eggs went bad.  

I am not implying that you not try the breeding again next year, because there may be something going on with the female, but I always like to try and figure out exactly what is going on, especially with eggs.

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## muddoc

Also, I meant to answer your original question, even though I know you already cut them.  About 3 weeks after I talked to Jo, and let her know it would be ok, I cut a clutch at day 45, because my calculations were incorrect.  Boy did I learn to listen to my own advice on that one.  At any rate, they are all eating there 3rd meal this week, and we didn't lose a single one.

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## lord jackel

> Sean,
>   did that clutch have any extremes while incubating(i.e. too wet, too hot, too cold)?  I ask that becasue extremes in incubation or "egg stress" have been known to create extreme looking snakes that aren't truly genetic(I believe that is what happened to the Halo clutch that Cue had a couple years ago).  Judging from the developement of those snakes, I would say that they died at around day 32 - 34.  Were the eggs slightly firm at all when you cut them?  I ask that also, to estimate when the eggs went bad.  
> 
> I am not implying that you not try the breeding again next year, because there may be something going on with the female, but I always like to try and figure out exactly what is going on, especially with eggs.


Thanks Tim for the reply and always glad for some insight. 

The eggs were firm and "popped" when I cut them (fluid squirting out).  Your guess on age is probably about right...since they started going bad (significant outward signs) at day 40 or so...so within a week of when you think they died. 

As for extremes...due to a heat wave the incubator got up to 90 degrees for about 3-4 days (3 degrees higher than normal) about a month ago.  As far as moisture they have been fine 99% till yesterday when they were "dripping" water (assume from the heat in the egg box caused from the death)...I haven't lost any other eggs and none show signs of issues (4 other clutches).

The Het Albino clutch we were talking about is 10 days older and all the kids are fine (though not out of the egg yet)

Thoughts?

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## muddoc

Sean,
  90 degrees shouldn't be a problem at all.  I actually have some eggs in the bator that are cooking at 91 now(mostly due to heat pockets in the big bator.  As far as the other info you gave, I would definitely say that they have been dead for a while, and were probably beyond saving at any point.  Sometimes they just go bad (maybe it is weak snakes).  The dripping water was probably due to the elevated temps in the box from the eggs giving off heat.  

I can't wait to see that breeding again next year.  I wish I could weigh in on the spectre thing, but I haven't really followed them, and haven't study any pics.  Good luck with that girl next year.

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## broadude

Awww...sorry for the recent developments. (;

Here's hoping that you have better luck next season (and please try the girl again..I would be very interested to know what she laid)

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## TKR

> Sean, we cut at day 52.  However with one clutch I somehow miscounted my days and cut at day 45.  I can tell you I was totally freaked, ended up on the phone with Kara, Tim and Robin completely sure I'd gone and killed the hatchlings with my stupidity.
> 
> Said hatchlings are sitting in their hatchling boxes as I type this.  Just fine, eating me out of house and home and perfectly healthy.  Granted they all sat in those eggs that extra 7 days and didn't start coming out till day 53 but they all did quite fine being cut 7 days earlier than I'd planned.
> 
> P.S.  I know have the cut date written on each hatching box so I never miscount again.  Thanks for that suggestion Tim!


So what did you do to keep them alive?

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## Mike41793

This thread is 5 years old lol

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