Maternal Incubation Vs. Incubator. Your Views?

I maternally incubated last year, and everything went very well. I had 6 eggs, and ended up with 6 hatchlings.

The only thing I did was after she laid I realized that the humidity seemed too low for incubation (it was OK for every day husbandry). So I changed her bedding to cypress mulch instead of aspen, and I would mist it a couple of times a week to maintain humidity.

As others have said, they've evolved to do it this way. A healthy female can do maternal incubation just fine.

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Maternal incubation in captivity just seems unnecessary to me.

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Just playing devil's advocate, but really, artificial incubation would be equally unnecessary as they do it just fine on their own.

I think both methods work, and both can be used with equal success.

One thing no one has touched on yet:

The enjoyment I get out of reptiles is all from getting to experience the life and habits and behaviors of these incredible animals firsthand, in my home.

I want to experience maternal incubation. Artificial incubation is just that, artificial. There's something 1000% more satisfying to me having MY snake be bred, lay her eggs, and incubate them, than having some machinery take over for her.

This isn't to say that I don't appreciate incubators, nor am I saying I never want to use incubators. There is quite a good deal of security you get when using incubators, and much more control over humidity and temperatures.

I feel like someone who breeds reptiles and never tries out maternal incubation at least once is missing out on an incredible experience.

For me, it's not as much about as producing as many viable eggs as possible, it's about the animals themselves.

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Originally Posted by xXxFluffyEmoxXx

If i do MI would I be able to offer food? And if i do, What are the chances she eats it? So in the wild they will eat, So If they eat in the wild and are ok.. Will she eat and if so will she still stay wrapped around the eggs? I know its a high chance she wont eat.. but if she does.. will she still protect the eggs? & When they begin to pip do i remove mom or leave her in there the entire process?

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Where is your source that says in the wild they leave their eggs to hunt?

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Originally Posted by xXxFluffyEmoxXx

ur lazy lol . I wouldnt mind hcanging everythin and taking a nice bite for the team :)

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I don't think the point was that anyone is "lazy". How a breeder decides to deal with incubation of eggs is their business. As long as they are doing it responsibly and understanding the process and getting a good result, then in my opinion it's all good.

Disturbing a female snake while she's on her eggs isn't a good thing. Disturbing them even during the process of breeding isn't a good thing and often enclosures do get a bit nasty while pairs are in together. That's not about being too lazy to clean, it's about not disturbing a process or removing scents that the snakes need to key on to certain activities.

I am a year away from having this same problem. I think of this often and Thank You to whom ever started this post. As of now due to limited space, I feel that I may MI on the first clutches. I do not feel that there is a right or wrong way, Just a choice. I do feel if I choose to MI, I will not feed and will keep a close eye on humidity as an assist to the Mother. Glad to hear that others have and do MI. Please keep these great subjects coming for us less skilled owners. PEACE:gj:

I'm a control freak I don't think I'd ever do it, plus I wanna get my females nice fat and healthy again like others have posted I think its an unnecessary risk.

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Originally Posted by Emilio

I'm a control freak I don't think I'd ever do it, plus I wanna get my females nice fat and healthy again like others have posted I think its an unnecessary risk.

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But you do realize that they do it in the wild right? And ball python population THRIVES!.. A lot of them that we have here in the states where once imports..so once again. If they can do it in the wild and be fine.. have the same hatch rates and you can leave the mother with the eggs..why not do it? i am talking from a small owners point of view anyway

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Originally Posted by zombieon3rd

I am a year away from having this same problem. I think of this often and Thank You to whom ever started this post. As of now due to limited space, I feel that I may MI on the first clutches. I do not feel that there is a right or wrong way, Just a choice. I do feel if I choose to MI, I will not feed and will keep a close eye on humidity as an assist to the Mother. Glad to hear that others have and do MI. Please keep these great subjects coming for us less skilled owners. PEACE:gj:

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Your welcome dude. thought it would be good info for us small owners. I have decided i will MI my first clutch and see if all goes well.

Thank you all for your replies :)

You do realize that our captive snakes are fat and lazy compared to wild snakes. Who's to say that the lifestyle we impose on our snakes does not affect their build, stamina and ability to 100% of the time come out of maternal incubation no worse for wear?

It's true females are often completely able to go off feed for those 60 days, however, there is the other side of the coin where people want to provide a steady environment for the eggs, and get their females back on feed as soon as possible.

What ever you choose, think about the snakes NEEDS first, and your WANTS second.