Egg Questions

After talking with Jo, we've started wondering about some things about eggs. The pics have the eggs cut. When do you cut the eggs and how? Also why is it done? I'm assuming it has something to with reducing hatchling mortality, but I'd like to hear from you guys who actually have eggs.

From what I understand it is really not necessary. Ball pythons are quite vigorous when it comes to hatching and rarely need help to hatch. I think some breeders just do it to find out what they are getting in the clutch sooner, especially when they are expecting something "new", but it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. LOL!!

yeah, I think Wild Bill is right.....they just can't wait a few more dang hours just to be sure that baby is or isn't a pied!!! :P

I wait until the clutch starts pipping and sometimes cut ... depends on the value of the clutch. I have spoken with breeders that have had hatchlings actually drown in the egg fluid trying to get out as well as seeing it myself.

This year with all of the clutches in the incubator I'm finding it a little impractical to cut, but if I had only a clutch or two and was producing my first morphs, I'd be all over them! ... Having fun is what it's all about and as long as you wait long enough, the snakes will be fine.

:D

-adam

Adam, how often do you open the containers and let them take a breath? Or do they all have the window cracked so you don't worry about it?

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Originally Posted by xdeus

Adam, how often do you open the containers and let them take a breath? Or do they all have the window cracked so you don't worry about it?

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My egg containers are completely sealed. The humidity is in the container, not the incubator ... that's what works for me.

The last 2 weeks of incubation the eggs start to dimple and actually begin to give off heat. This heat actually causes condensation to build on the inside of the egg boxes. When I see that condensation build up, I begin to periodically "crack" the tops on the boxes and then seal them back up for some air exchange ... my egg boxes have a large air mass inside them so I'm able to get away with not having to "crack" them everyday ... that would be a pain. :P

-adam

We cut our eggs on day 52 of incubation. I know some people that cut their clutches on day 48 - 50. I have also heard of some people cutting as early as day 45. However, the guy that cut on day 45 also have a high rate of deaths either in the egg or crawling out of the egg. I also know of some people that cut the eggs after the first baby has pipped.
On a side note, alot of the people I talked too said that their eggs hatch between day 57 and 60, our first clutch hatched on day 55. I think this may be attributed to the fact that our incubator has been running on the warm side this year, i.e. 91 degrees. I would reccommend that if you are going to cut, cut on day 52 or later. Lastly, the other option is to candle your eggs around day 40. At that time they typically have enough pigment to see what it is (Spiders will obviously have thin stripes, albinos will have a very bright egg, and no black pattern, pieds will have large patches of white). Some morphs however can not be candled, like Axanthics and Hypos.
Either way you decide, it is all alot of fun.
Thanks,

Okay but how does one slit the eggs safely? What tool is used, what procedure is used so you don't nick the baby snake? Do you pinch up the egg and snip it or some other method? What day of incubation is this slit done?

Sorry for the tons of questions but when Christie and I talked about this we both commented that we'd never seen much specific info on this procedure but a lot of mention of it being done.

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so I'm able to get away with not having to "crack" them everyday ... that would be a pain.

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I thought so, but I didn't know how much air they needed. BTW, where do you get your egg boxes, and what do you cover them with?

Jo,
We use a very small pair of cuticle(?sp) scissors and pinch the loose part of the egg. Make a small snip, then very carefully insert the scissors into the egg and keeping the blade in the egg pushed up to maintain it on the egg surface, cut down either side of your original snip. It is not as easy to explain as I thought. Next time we cut eggs, I'll try to take a bunch of pictures.