incubation questions

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I have a friend who has a cornsnake that is about to lay eggs. My question is simple. most places I read say optimum temperatures for corn eggs are 80 - 85 degrees. What would happen if I put those eggs in my 87 - 88 degree ball python egg incubator?


thanks,

Mike

[FatBoy]

No clue Mike...just wanted to say "Hi". I guess they would either hatch a lot faster or cook, better wait for someone who knows about corns.

[joepythons]

I have a friend who has a cornsnake that is about to lay eggs. My question is simple. most places I read say optimum temperatures for corn eggs are 80 - 85 degrees. What would happen if I put those eggs in my 87 - 88 degree ball python egg incubator?


thanks,

Mike

Thats to high of a temp and it would more then likely kill them.I used a hovabator set at 80 and had zero problems

[Blue Apple Herps]

That's way too high. I even think 85 is pushing it. They do fine at 70-80. I incubate mine in the top of a bedroom closet that stays ~75-78 and they always do just fine. Better to be on the cooler than warmer side.

[Argentra]

Yep, cooler is better with regards to corns. Be that incubator temp or cage temp. 80 sounds about right for corn eggs.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

That's way too high. I even think 85 is pushing it. They do fine at 70-80. I incubate mine in the top of a bedroom closet that stays ~75-78 and they always do just fine. Better to be on the cooler than warmer side.

Wow. so do I even need an incubator? I can definately keep them in the 70 to 80 range by just my house temperature. Assuming I can keep the 70 to 80 range, would fluctuation between the two be a problem?


Mike

[kc261]

I know that quite a few people incubate corn eggs in a closet or similar location, not an actual incubator. However, I'm not sure about the temperature fluctuation. My best guess is that a reasonable amount of fluctuation would be ok. Corn snakes are native to the southeast US, and natural temperatures definitely fluctuate there.

[Blue Apple Herps]

Wow. so do I even need an incubator? I can definately keep them in the 70 to 80 range by just my house temperature. Assuming I can keep the 70 to 80 range, would fluctuation between the two be a problem?


Mike

Small amounts are OK. Like if its 76 one day then 78 the next. You wouldn't want it to be 70 in the morning, 80 in the afternoon, then 70 again at night.

I have never ever used an incubator for corn eggs, and they all do just fine. I keep them in the closet as that's fairly insulated from the rest of the room and it holds pretty stable temps that never fluctuate more than a degree or two.

There's a slow and steady warming from about 72 when they first start to lay to about 78-80 when they hatch, but this is nice and slow and coincides with the outside temp going up. So its not a worry. If you have a closet or room that has a fairly steady temp in the 70-80 range, then don't even mess with an incubator.