Day 45 question

Today is day 45 when should I start to notice the eggs dimple/cave in. I just checked the humidity and touched the eggs and they feel rubbery like when they were laid and firm, not solid. The temperature of the incubator is at 90 degree. and they are in 6quart tubs with vermiculite.

Yes the eggs should start to dimple around this time. Your box will probally sweat some too.

I'm on day 45 also and only the top egg has a single dimple. I am incubating at 87.5. At least, that's what the IR thermometer says. The 3 digital ones read between 87.4 and 90.3 :O

Just checked on them and still no dimpling. When shuold i start getting concerned

I'm maternally incubating, but my clutches are currently on Days 43 and 46 and neither have begun to dimple. I have felt the eggs, though, and they're definitely getting softer. I wouldn't worry yet. It's still early. :)

I've had clutches that never dimple and they pip on their own and hatch out just fine.

Hrm, what causes dimpling?

I know that they do it, and it's closer to when the snake is already well developed... But I dont see why they would start to dimple. I imagine that it may have something to do with water loss through the egg membrane, or perhaps the egg is being stretched by the snake internally, but unless something got severely denser there shouldnt be much loss in internal volume, and definitely no loss in internal mass, aside from if water moved out of the egg.

Do snake eggs have bubbles in them like chicken eggs? That could explain it, the bubble being forced through the egg shell or rapidly declining in volume...

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

Hrm, what causes dimpling?

I know that they do it, and it's closer to when the snake is already well developed... But I dont see why they would start to dimple. I imagine that it may have something to do with water loss through the egg membrane, or perhaps the egg is being stretched by the snake internally, but unless something got severely denser there shouldnt be much loss in internal volume, and definitely no loss in internal mass, aside from if water moved out of the egg.

Do snake eggs have bubbles in them like chicken eggs? That could explain it, the bubble being forced through the egg shell or rapidly declining in volume...

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From what I've read dimpling comes from the babies absorbing their yolk.

But that wouldnt cause a loss of mass... It may cause a loss of volume... What's the density of a snake and the density of yolk?

"water leaves the eggs during the last weeks of incubation because of the internal heat generated by it's rapidly developing fetus. the egg becomes slightly warmer than the surroundings and that, in turn, causes a directional osmosis that pulls water out of the shell. "

this was a quote taken from
ball pythons, pythons of the world vol. 2, by David and Tracy Barker (VPI)
(this is a great book with tons of information)

when this happens there is a reduction in pressure inside the egg, causing it to dimple or even collaspe, this is a normal condition during the last few weeks of incubation.