What would you do if...

you were going on vacation at the same time as a clutch of eggs is expected to hatch?

I was wondering if anyone had advice on this. I don't want to come home to a bad situation. There are only 2 eggs in this clutch as it is and I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't want to loose them.

I'm meeting with a pet sitter soon to go over the general care of our collection but I don't know how experienced she is with a situation like this. If there is a simple "hands off" solution I would love to hear it.

Time line:

Leaving on a Friday coming home in 9 days
Day 60 for clutch is that Wednesday

well this is probly not gonna help, but i wouldnt leave until the snakes were out of the eggs & situated in their own bins/cages. thats just me. i wouldnt leave anything up to a sitter either at least until i knew that everyone was well situated.

Under normal circumstances the babies will do fine on their own for those couple of days in the tub in the inc. should they decide to emerge.

How long will you be gone after the expected hatch? They will be fine staying in the incubator for quite a while. I know of some people that leave them in the incubator until after their first shed. Maybe you could just put a water dish in the egg tub and leave them be until you get back.

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Originally Posted by pfan151

How long will you be gone after the expected hatch? They will be fine staying in the incubator for quite a while. I know of some people that leave them in the incubator until after their first shed. Maybe you could just put a water dish in the egg tub and leave them be until you get back.

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Yes - I agree - they will be fine in the incubator with a small dish of water in there with them. I'd even say you could go ahead and put the eggs on paper towel (so they don't get all the substrate on them when they get out of the egg).

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by mommanessy247

well this is probly not gonna help, but i wouldnt leave until the snakes were out of the eggs & situated in their own bins/cages. thats just me. i wouldnt leave anything up to a sitter either at least until i knew that everyone was well situated.

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Tried to avid that but it just didn't pan out.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

Under normal circumstances the babies will do fine on their own for those couple of days in the tub in the inc. should they decide to emerge.

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Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pfan151

How long will you be gone after the expected hatch? They will be fine staying in the incubator for quite a while. I know of some people that leave them in the incubator until after their first shed. Maybe you could just put a water dish in the egg tub and leave them be until you get back.

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Only four days. Thanks. That sounds like the easiest thing to do. Then I can just have the sitter peak in on them and keep the water full and remove the empty shells if the come out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Yes - I agree - they will be fine in the incubator with a small dish of water in there with them. I'd even say you could go ahead and put the eggs on paper towel (so they don't get all the substrate on them when they get out of the egg).

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Probably the best/easiest solution. Now, I'm thinking I may cut them before I leave (day 53 or 54) just so I know they won't have issues pipping but would they dry out too much?

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Originally Posted by stratus_020202

Good luck!

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Thanks!

I wanted to share how this went. Everything turned out fine. I cut this clutch on day 53 (to make sure they didn't have issues pipping). I added damp paper towels to cover the egg crate/light diffuser so they wouldn't get covered in vermiculite or dry out. Also, gave them a small water bowl and removed the plastic wrap used to seal the tub. When I got home they were out and well. I did have someone check on them to make sure they had water and to remove the egg shells once they were out so they didn't sit in there and rot.

Thanks all for the good advice!

Pics? :)

Ha ha, I should have known better :P.

Here's the link to the pics of the babies.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...d.php?t=125202