Incubator vs. Natural

What are the pro's and con's of these two methods of taking care of the eggs? I had a bit of a crash course a few years ago, when I got a female snake from a friend that had tried to breed it with a male (just for the heck of it), and gave up hope... But when I had her in my possession, she laid eggs, one day... As soon as that happened, I called my friend who breeds snakes at one of the local stores, and he tried to take care of them for me... They were all duds, but one looked promising... It was just an unfertilized egg that looked real healthy.

This struck my interest, and I did my research and started breeding them myself. I had always let the female take care of her clutch. It seemed promising. Of six or seven eggs, I'd have four or five that would make it through to the hatching process.

I am breeding again. I have never used an incubator... I'm considering purchasing one. How easy are the eggs to manage within one? What are the pro's and con's between using an incubator or letting the female just go with it as nature intended?

Is it worth the money to purchase the incubator?

Thanks for all and any input, guys.

You could build an incubator for a fraction of the cost of purchasing one, as far as maternal incubation a few members here have sucessfully done it.

I am actually quite interested in how you Naturally hatch them such as substrate humidity and temp? i know the incubator temps and i even plan to build one someday...but a natural birth seems kinda cool also are they in a tub or a tank I MUST KNOW!:rage: lol ;)

Incubator = you control the entire process
Natural = mama snake controls the entire process, you're just the sidekick.

There are pros and cons to both.

i honestly think the natural way is a bit odd. I realize the fascination of the "wild animal" but think about it most balls are kept in RACKS! lol. with 0 substrate the genes and animals are the focus not the habitat. obviously this is my opinion and also why would u want to put all this effort and $ into something (clutch) and put your animals through all that stress to not reap your reward. I dunno either way :rockon: interesting thread.

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Originally Posted by Byrdie

I am actually quite interested in how you Naturally hatch them such as substrate humidity and temp? i know the incubator temps and i even plan to build one someday...but a natural birth seems kinda cool also are they in a tub or a tank I MUST KNOW!:rage: lol ;)

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Same temp is normal ball python set-up. I raised the humidity to 75-80% the entire time. I provided a lay-box - that is, a bigger hide that can hold the mother with the eggs.

My snake laid when she was in the glass tank. It is relatively more difficult to maintain stable temperature and humidity in the tank, so I moved her and the eggs to a plastic tub.

wat was ur succes rate? 100%

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Originally Posted by LOSTCOAST_BALLZ

i honestly think the natural way is a bit odd. I realize the fascination of the "wild animal" but think about it most balls are kept in RACKS! lol. with 0 substrate the genes and animals are the focus not the habitat. obviously this is my opinion and also why would u want to put all this effort and $ into something (clutch) and put your animals through all that stress to not reap your reward. I dunno either way :rockon: interesting thread.

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The racks are even easier than the tub. You don't have to provide a lay-box... the entire thing can be the lay-box (just like you don't need a hide).

Not sure what you mean by "all that stress to not reap your reward".

Being a woman, it is always interesting to me that people treat pregnancy as a medical event. It is not. It's just a normal part of the life cycle. Hence, a lot of people prefer the midwife over an OB. The OB is only there when the event becomes a medical concern (complications such as pre-eclampsia, etc.).

Anyway, a ball python is the same - laying of eggs and seeing it through hatching is not a medical event - it's just a natural part of the life cycle. Yes, it takes a lot of energy for a ball python to incubate its eggs but if you have a healthy snake to start off with, it is not a big deal. The snake will continue to eat while taking care of the eggs to replenish that energy expended.

Many of us are not in it for the $. We are in it for the joy of being an active part of nature.

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Originally Posted by anatess

I moved her and the eggs to a plastic tub.

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What about substrate just some paper towel or did you actually use something like eco earth?

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Originally Posted by LOSTCOAST_BALLZ

wat was ur succes rate? 100%

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Mine wasn't 100%. I made the mistake of making too big a cut on the eggs - it was my first clutch - it looked like Edward Scissorhands got hold of the eggs.

Quiet Tempest have 100% hatch rate on hers year after year as well as some others on this forum.