How do you get the eggs away from Mom?

[JohnNJ]

I see some clutch threads and it made curious about the process of taking the eggs away from Mom to place in the incubator.

How do you separate Mom from the clutch without damaging the eggs? I read that the eggs stick together and I'm sure the snake has a good grip on them.

How does Mom react to this procedure? Do you wear protective gear?

Thanks.
JohnNJ

[Freakie_frog]

If you catch the eggs right after them being laid then you can get them apart and keep the separate. I have never been this lucky so I've just left them just as mom lays them.

Once they hit the air they start to harder up. Now not hard like a chickens egg but rather a hard like a stale piece of cake or old leather, its still pliable and not as vulnerable.
Mom really doesn't grip them she more cradles them.

As for moms attitude it depends on the snake. I had one last year that just hissed and that was it. Then I had one that was like the snake on Kung Fu Panda.

If getting bit worry you just take a clean towel and place of mom and the eggs and you'll be able to work mom of them with out much fuss.

[frankykeno]

Make sure to have a secure container ready to place mom in once you get her off those eggs. You'll need her contained while you set up the eggs in their hatchling box (which hopefully you have all ready in your incubator).

While you are removing her just mind that any loose eggs don't roll. I like to place a very light mark on the top of each egg to remind me of which area was up since snake eggs should not be turned during incubation.

[JenH]

None of mine have ever struck - just hiss like crazy. Grab them by the head and unwide them from the eggs. Try not to let them roll. Worse case, lay a small towel over mom and grab her through it and unwide her.

I usually have someone else grab the eggs and put her back in her tub till I get the eggs settled. I then put the female in the sink and spray her down with warm water to wash the egg smell off her and put her in the waiting clean tub.

Then offer her a small meal in a day or two....

[JohnNJ]

Does it kill the egg if it rolls and you put it in the incubator upside down from the way it was?

What is the egg smell?

[JeffFlanagan]

I throw a pillowcase or towel over the snake's head, and gently lift her off of the eggs. If she clings, I unwrap her starting at the tail. I place mom in a new tub and move the clutch of eggs to my incubator.

[West Coast Jungle]

Does it kill the egg if it rolls and you put it in the incubator upside down from the way it was?

What is the egg smell?

The eggs will be fine if moved after they have just been laid. Once the eggs have developed more you want to make sure you dont move or roll them.

You wont be able to smell anything but the moma snake can. As long as she smells the eggs she will remain coiled up and not feed as well as act defensive. Once she is separated and washed down she should begin to act normal again. I usually wait a 3-5 days to offer her food again.

I lay a towel over mom and gently unwrap her off the eggs. I have had eggs roll in the process and they hatched just fine. Once they are placed in the incubator I mark the tops so the dont get rolled later on.