Incubating Eggs

Should I let the female do it, or incubate them artificially?

incubate them artificialy. In my opinion this is the only way to assure 100percent that they will recieve the care needed to hatch and produce healthy baby snakes. There are people that do let the mother incubate the eggs for the (60days) but some females have abondoned their eggs after a short period of time. Artificial incubation, is the only way to go:gj:

People do both, but you are more likely to get 100% hatch rate from artificial.

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

People do both, but you are more likely to get 100% hatch rate from artificial.

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uhhh you said in one sentence what I couldnt get out in four :mad:lol

Artificial, that way its also not as hard on the female. If you let her incubate them she will not eat until the eggs have hatched and her tub cleaned really good. She will go off feed during breeding, but will stay off food for longer if you let her incubate them. Once eggs are laid and taken away. Most of my females start eating again within a week 3 to 5 days. If eggs are taken away and tubs, female are washed really good. If not you can add about 60 days to you female not eating. Give or take a few days. Its always good to get them eating again soon as you can.

This female had a 100% hatch rate and produced again the next year.

http://homevtour.home.comcast.net/~h...tch2003Med.JPG

I haven't done enough maternal incubation to say which method has the better hatch rate or female recovery.

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Originally Posted by RandyRemington

This female had a 100% hatch rate and produced again the next year.

http://homevtour.home.comcast.net/~h...tch2003Med.JPG

I haven't done enough maternal incubation to say which method has the better hatch rate or female recovery.

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what weight was that female just before breeding?

Unfortunately I didn't record her pre breeding, pre laying, or post laying weights. She weighed 1,020 grams after the babies hatched which with the 1/3 rule for the clutch puts her at an estimated 1,500 to 1,600 grams before laying. My scale doesn’t go high enough for the bigger girls I’m thinking of trying maternal incubation with this year.

Hi Randy!~

Did you just use sphagnum moss for her nest? Was she in a tub? If so, how did you keep the humidity from creating water drops that drip onto the eggs? Was she fine with you getting the moss wet during the incubation?

Obviously, I'd love to learn more about your methodology and also your observations :)

Thanks, McKinsey