How long will i wait to cut my ball pthon egg

The only reason to cut is because you are impatient! This is selfish in my opinion and no thought was given in the health and wellbeing of the animal which should be top priority! Let nature take it's course! Cutting after the first pip is okay but not before!

I never cut slits until the first baby has pipped it's own egg. Then I cut small slits to ensure everyone can get out ok. There is no need to cut early. People have done this and ended up with dried our eggs and dead babies. Let them develop fully.

On every clutch ive seen cut it was after day 50 and either they had pipped or began to dimple.

For my first clutch i slit the eggs once the first hatchling poked it's head out

Like so
http://www.sareptiles.co.za/gallery/...4/IMG_0015.JPG
The one on the right was first to pip...

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Originally Posted by seeya205

The only reason to cut is because you are impatient! This is selfish in my opinion and no thought was given in the health and wellbeing of the animal which should be top priority! Let nature take it's course! Cutting after the first pip is okay but not before!

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I must disagree with this. I care about my reptiles (not saying you dont, dont take this the wrong way please) but the real reason I cut after the first pip is to check if anything has a tangled umbilical, and to make sure they can get out if they did not develop an egg tooth. Ive seen many snakes saved by slitting eggs, especially if they have twisted umbilical cords.

just my 2 cents.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by seeya205

The only reason to cut is because you are impatient! This is selfish in my opinion and no thought was given in the health and wellbeing of the animal which should be top priority! Let nature take it's course! Cutting after the first pip is okay but not before!

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How many eggs have you hatched and cut so far?

I cut between day 52 and 55? (that's based on my temps)

Why? Possibility of the hatchling drowning (seen it in person).

Does it happen often? No, however every steps, I take from choosing to incubate the eggs in a incubator instead of letting mom do the job, to cutting eggs are to increase the chances of each and every single hatchling (how selfish right?)

Should anyone just go ahead and decide to cut not knowing what they do? No not recommended like with everything else if not done properly there are risks.

I don't cut my eggs unless I suspect a problem, but then I am more about the natural order of things. I once had a somewhat dried out egg on top of the pile, so I cut it after another egg in the clutch pipped. Thankfully, the baby inside was perfectly fine, just a tad on the small side (though she did catch her siblings quickly).

My own rule of thumb has always been to allow the eggs to pip on their own, but if all other babies in a single clutch have exited the egg but there is still one yet to pip, I will cut it to check on the baby inside.

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Originally Posted by Tyler_Royality

I must disagree with this. I care about my reptiles (not saying you dont, dont take this the wrong way please) but the real reason I cut after the first pip is to check if anything has a tangled umbilical, and to make sure they can get out if they did not develop an egg tooth. Ive seen many snakes saved by slitting eggs, especially if they have twisted umbilical cords.

just my 2 cents.

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Cutting after the first pip is completely fine! I was more so directing it at cutting on day 29!

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Originally Posted by seeya205

Cutting after the first pip is completely fine! I was more so directing it at cutting on day 29!

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Agreed. Correct me if I am wrong but are the veins not still attached to the egg at this very early stage...? To me the risk of slicing one of these veins is too high and may cause the death of the baby therein....

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Originally Posted by Deborah

How many eggs have you hatched and cut so far?

I cut between day 52 and 55? (that's based on my temps)

Why? Possibility of the hatchling drowning (seen it in person).

Does it happen often? No, however every steps, I take from choosing to incubate the eggs in a incubator instead of letting mom do the job, to cutting eggs are to increase the chances of each and every single hatchling (how selfish right?)

Should anyone just go ahead and decide to cut not knowing what they do? No not recommended like with everything else if not done properly there are risks.

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My thoughts exactly! Well put!