Listless Incubation

Not sure if this has been asked before. Ive searched and not come across any threads here it elsewhere.

I am curios to know would it make any sense in incubating the last few days without a lid on the egg box. I have near 100% humidity in my incubator itself according to to my hygrometers.

With the last few days heat increase and condensation on the lid in the egg box occurring would it make any sense to take the lid off. This would keep the temps stable and if humidity is high like mine that won't be a problem. Obviously the day of hatching or cutting replace the lid to stop babies from escaping the tub.

99-100% Humidity is where you want to be. I have noticed that ball python eggs can lose moisture, but, do not seem to gain it back.

Heat increase by a few degrees near hatching usually isn't an issue unless you are running close to the edge of the tolerance (90F). Ball python eggs can take some temp. swings, but, can't overheat in the later stages. When I set up my incubators I will put a proportional thermostat probe in the bin with the oldest eggs: It will result in the temperature dropping slightly overall for the other clutches, but, it will ensure a stable temperature during hatch. I have had mixed luck incubating with on/off thermostats and rheostats depending upon the environmental temperature variability of where the incubator is placed.

I would not take the lid off the egg bin. If you are using an on/off thermostat and you notice the temps. in the bin are getting too high: I would turn down the thermostat/rheostat slightly. The eggs will sweat in the last week or two near hatching and normal condensation is not enough to bother them at that point. However, every time you examine the eggs you are adding colder air to warm humid air in the incubator and increasing condensation...doing this too often can create issues. I leave them alone and check once a week until day 55 and then once every other day (at most) past that point...some of the hatchlings can take days to come out after pip: so no rush. :)

I know one successful breeder thats been doing this for years. He uses press and seal wrap and every two weeks he changes out the press and seal wrap to get rid of the condensation build up. You could just wipe it off the lid and place the lid back on and adjust temperatures.

Thanks guys its nice to learn from other peoples methods. I have what works and what doesn't.

That's what practice is all about really 😊