Update on Fluffy's clutch + pics

How so?

Typically clutches are incubated at 88-90 degrees, so the drop to the upper 70s may be too cool. Of course I have no clue, since I've not researched maternal incubaton, what the temperature drop will do to the developing eggs.

I'm not sure why you would choose maternal incubation, especially considering you have an incubator handy. I wish you luck with the eggs.

One other thing to consider, is the misting. Have you considered what impact that high humidity will have on your female? And also be careful not to mist the eggs. You can kill the eggs by getting coating them in water.

This is going to be a very interesting thread. I wish you good luck , and I'll be checking in on your progress.

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

Typically clutches are incubated at 88-90 degrees, so the drop to the upper 70s may be too cool. Of course I have no clue, since I've not researched maternal incubaton, what the temperature drop will do to the developing eggs.

I'm not sure why you would choose maternal incubation, especially considering you have an incubator handy. I wish you luck with the eggs.

One other thing to consider, is the misting. Have you considered what impact that high humidity will have on your female? And also be careful not to mist the eggs. You can kill the eggs by getting coating them in water.

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From what I read about maternal incubation, one of the most common reasons for it to be unsuccessful is because the keeper tries to keep the enclosure like an incubator. The problem with this is you are not letting the female have any control over the situation. Once it is 90 degrees, she cannot decrease the temperature around the eggs, only increase it. Once the humidity is at 100 percent, she can't decrease it, only increase.

Since I have put the digital thermometer/hygrometer in tank, I have found that the temp is a couple degrees higher than what the non-digital dials read. I have not seen the temp go below 81, and during the day it rises to over 90. Humidity stays around 60 - 90 percent, depending on when I last misted. Also, when I mist I sometimes mist on the snake itself and sometimes just on the glass and bedding. When I mist on the female, she uncovers the eggs. If she were in the wild and it started to rain, she may do the same, I'm not sure.

So far, the eggs still look as good as the day she laid them. Round and white. One in particular is prone to some dimpling, but it doesn't go as far as to cave in, and after a humidity increase, it comes back to a more round form.

As far as the female goes, I am really not sure if the environment is bad for her or not... I'm not sure what kind of humidity Africa has during hatching season... but I would guess there are drier days and wetter days, and she gets that here, too.

But yeah I am just hoping for the best here, and I am doing my best to keep things going well.

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Originally Posted by emilio

This is going to be a very interesting thread. I wish you good luck , and I'll be checking in on your progress.

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Thanks for the support, and I'll see you around.

I don't have any experience with maternal incubation, so if you know what you're doing, go for it.

I would speculate that having such a drop in temperature (my ball pythons have yet to even experience temps in the 70s even during the winter months) would just make the female's job that much harder to regulate the temperature of the eggs. I think I'd sleep easier knowing that the ambient temps in the cage were 82-84 degrees like they are supposed to be anyway, and especially with a female on eggs.

You know that temperature fluctuations result in bad eggs and deformed babies, right?

Yeah, I know about that... and like I said, it doesn't go below 80 and is usually at 81 overnight.

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At night it drops to 80 - high 70's

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That's what I was going by, stated earlier.

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Originally Posted by Rapture

From what I read about maternal incubation, one of the most common reasons for it to be unsuccessful is because the keeper tries to keep the enclosure like an incubator. The problem with this is you are not letting the female have any control over the situation. Once it is 90 degrees, she cannot decrease the temperature around the eggs, only increase it. Once the humidity is at 100 percent, she can't decrease it, only increase.

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Ummm.... How do you increase the humidity once it's 100%? :O

As for temps, do you offer a temperature gradient normally? There is typically a cool and warm side of the tank, to allow for this natural regulation.

I hope this coming across ok, as I am curious about the reasons for going this route. I hope your eggs do ok, I hear they are pretty hardy so best of luck to you. :D

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

That's what I was going by, stated earlier.

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Sorry, that is what the less expensive thermometer read. Since then I have put a digital in.