Waiting...and swearing not to cut.

My female ball python lays late in the season.

I have three more days until day 60. The eggs are still candling with veins, they've all collapsed (started on day 50 to collapse), they don't smell bad and haven't molded, and I'm waiting for the first one to pip.

I saw a different forum thread where it took 69 days for the first one to pip. Wow. That's some patience.

Waiting is hard, 'cause I don't know if they are OK in there. (Had to buy an air conditioner to fight heat spikes.) I tried to keep the temps around 88-89. Swearing not to cut though till the first one pips. I swear. Still, what do you do while you wait? How do you sleep?

And also a little random, my female, though I'm not sure I'm gonna breed her this year (a bit underweight for my taste at 1400 currently) is seeking the cool side of the tank (80 degrees on that end) even after she eats, which is a bit odd for her. If I don't breed her, is it odd to hope she doesn't retain sperm or produce slugs? Or am I doomed?

Oh, and anyone else still waiting for eggs to hatch from the 2011 season? I need someone to commiserate with, I think.

If it will make you feel better you could put a tiny cut into one of the creases on the deflated eggs so that they "can have a good starting point to cut themselves out" lol. It's impossible to tell if your female retained any sperm but even if she did, she would be fine laying again next season. Also there are plenty of late layers this season, I'm sure everything will be just fine. If you are still having trouble get some Melatonin, stuff works wonders.

Want to know how to resist cutting ? Read this thread: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ICTURE-WARNING I warn you though, it is VERY hard to read/see.

Believe me, as hard as it is to wait, waiting is well worth it. I waited on my last clutch until 67 days. But after what happened, I found waiting for this one almost easy.

Gale

Thanks to you both. Last season, I think my temps were too high... lost 3 out of 5, but emerged at around day 57.... with one eager to get out. TT So I'm fretting more this year, but I realize it'll take longer.

Soooo not cutting. Washing with saline and watching them dry out isn't my thing. Just hoping for the best for the babies inside.

Should I twiddle my thumbs?

Thumb twiddling works, if you are good at it.

Sitting on your hands while you rock back and forth can also help.


Gale

Also, I'm not candling them unless they start to rot. =P I didn't candle them that often. I swear. Once a week maybe.

Last season I used a Hoverbator. Elew. Not doing that again. Temps were so uneven and the moisture too. Wish I had seen more warnings about that. So this season used a cooler and made my own set up. Upgrading the set up slowly...

Waiting is very hard to do! Patience is a virtue that I am very painfully having to learn. For me, I only pip the eggs after at least 2 eggs pip on their own. I figure if at least two are ready, the others probably are to. Good luck holding out!

Trust me, at least let a few pip if you must cut.

Here's the story behind my clutch this year-
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...er-5-or-6-days


I'm starting to doubt the other 3 will pip at all...

How do I sleep? I cut them, sorry I'm not much help here :P

Day 58. Nothing. Fine with that. Still keep expecting something to pop out especially since one of the eggs has collapsed about 1/4? of the way (terrible with estimating percentages though)

I'm prepared to wait until day 69... =P Next week. I saw someone who said their temps were 89 and didn't get anything until the 69th day. Haha.

Supposed to be cool this week, so I have less worries about heat spikes.

I hope they are safe in there. I've worked really hard for them.