Deformation rates

For those that have hatched enough eggs to begin having usable stats, let's say 50+. What has been your rate of non-viable deformation in eggs that have gone full term? These numbers should not include incubator accidents or known genetically risky breedings (spider x spider) etc.

My numbers are sitting at 1 in 70 where the animal needs to be euthanized on hatching. My rate is the same at this point whether it is a closely related breeding or a totally unrelated one. Typical deformations seem to be severe kinking or underdeveloped lower jaw. In every case I have had so far, the deformation has not been repeated with the same breeding and it has always been a single normal looking egg of a larger clutch (8 or more).

My latest problem was this weekend, very nice clutch of 9 large eggs with another "world's first" inside. Mother and father are solid breeders and the pairing has been done before. Eggs piped Friday, right on schedule. I cut and everything seemed normal. 8 of the 9 had heads hanging out within a couple hours. The next day 4 were out of the egg but one still had not come up for air. As is normal for me, I prodded the rest of them out of the egg. I had to remove #9. It was alive but so severely kinked it could not unwrap itself. I chased my kids of the room before they noticed and did what needed to be done.

Any data anyone else has gathered would be helpful.

Thanks

I've hatched several hundred Eggs. And have lost a few babies due to circumstances but not hatched anything deformed yet.

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Originally Posted by StillBP

I've hatched several hundred Eggs. And have lost a few babies due to circumstances but not hatched anything deformed yet.

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Thanks, what temps are you incubating at? I am usually low 87-88. Most likely coincidental, but the only thing the deformed animals have had in common were that they were 3-5 gene animals. I have never had a problem with a normal or single gene.

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

Thanks, what temps are you incubating at? I am usually low 87-88. Most likely coincidental, but the only thing the deformed animals have had in common were that they were 3-5 gene animals. I have never had a problem with a normal or single gene.

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88.9° exactly. I've hatched a few 3-5 gene. But I generally try for 3 at most. Alot of the 5 gene animals don't look as nice as a 3 gene

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by StillBP

88.9° exactly. I've hatched a few 3-5 gene. But I generally try for 3 at most. Alot of the 5 gene animals don't look as nice as a 3 gene

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Yeah, I agree. I think I have one animal personal/breeding group that is over three genes and that one I kept because it was a "first". Most of my breeding females are exceptional single gene or super/als animals. At four genes, in most cases you start to get mud. People want the stacked genes though.

I've had my share of dead embryos and deformed babies in normal Colubrids. I've never bred ball pythons. Worst I remember was a stillborn bullsnake that had the two halves of a loop fused together belly to belly. I've also seen tiny, deformed lower jaws in a litter of timber rattlesnakes. Small/missing eye on one or both sides have turned up in a variety of species. Worst of all was the loss of my Burmese python and her entire clutch. Probable cause was vitamin A deficiency. I don't recall any kinks in my babies, but I think vitamin deficiencies many be implicated in a lot of that sort of problem and in bugeyed babies.