Ok morher nature... do your thing.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

This my second year of breeding BP's, I am going to try something.....

I have decided that the 13 clutches that have been laid will be born naturally. In other words, unlike last year they will all hatch (or not) on their own.

I hear all this talk CONSTANTLY about should I cut.. or not...

But at the same time I don't think I have EVER herd about the one that died because it was not able to find its way out of its own egg.. certainly there are babies that don't make it. Knots tied in the yolk, underdeveloped whatever... but NEVER have I heard of a youngster not making it specifically because someone failed to cut an egg.

You have my word that I will let you know as soon as I think I lost was as result of not cutting....

[aalomon]

I havent with a ball, but Ive had it happen with corns twice. Both times the blood vessels were stripped from the egg and the babies died.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I too have had it happen with cornsnake eggs....

[neilgolli]

Mike, there are times where you do HAVE to cut the eggs.

1. If you substrate was to moist and your at the final day when the egg is due to hatch and they are still VERY full the baby can have issues cutting out and can drawn in the egg.

2. If the egg is small because its 50 or 60% "boobed" and thus the baby is very small if they are trying to cut into the almost calcified "boobed" portion you could loose them

3. If you develop mold on the egg or large windows because the egg gets wet. My favorite way to fix the egg is with Children's elmers glue. Putting the glue on the mold suffocates the mold and will seal a window up. The babies cannot cut threw the glue and may need help out.

[Drew87]

Mike, there are times where you do HAVE to cut the eggs.

1. If you substrate was to moist and your at the final day when the egg is due to hatch and they are still VERY full the baby can have issues cutting out and can drawn in the egg.

2. If the egg is small because its 50 or 60% "boobed" and thus the baby is very small if they are trying to cut into the almost calcified "boobed" portion you could loose them

3. If you develop mold on the egg or large windows because the egg gets wet. My favorite way to fix the egg is with Children's elmers glue. Putting the glue on the mold suffocates the mold and will seal a window up. The babies cannot cut threw the glue and may need help out.

Great Info thank you sir!

[rabernet]

I've personally seen drowned babies in eggs that were unable to successfully cut their way out of the egg (perfect pinstripes at that). For that reason, I choose to cut by day 55 if they haven't cut on their own (I incubate at 89).

Good luck to you on your season.