OMG It Happened!!

She laid eggs!!! I can't believe it. From Feb 1 to mid March I was pairing my Spider female and Pastel male. I got locks until the 6th pairing. After that I thought it had begun. She started to get really huge then about 10-12 days later she shed. I thought I was going to have eggs around mid May. Memorial day comes, no eggs. Midway through June, no eggs. I gave up. She went off feed, she looked thin. I thought I should leave her alone for a bit since she wasn't eating.

Two weeks ago I had her out because her tank was a mess. She looked normal. No weight gain at all (i did weigh her). Last night I attempted to feed her but I thought to myself I better check to make sure she isn't shedding. I lifted up her hide and saw something large and white. I freaked out. How the heck did this happen without me noticing? Fortunately I purchased an incubator months ago but I had no substrate. I rushed to home depot and bought a huge bag of vermiculite (its all they had). I got home and put the egg box together. Now the hard part. Pulling off the eggs.

This freaked me out because I have seen dozens of videos and just about every time the female goes nuts. I put on some gloves and began to uncoil her. She wasn't letting go. I kept my eyes on her head the whole time. I started with the tail but as soon as I got it loose she tightened back up. I went for the mid section next. Much easier. She was really good. Didn't try to bite at all. I put her in a separate tank and transferred the eggs to its new home. After that was done I cleaned her, the tank, hide box, and water bowl. What a night

Here is a pic of her on the eggs. She ended up laying 3

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/7153/jazz1n.jpg

Here are the eggs in the container. Much larger than I thought.

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/5470/eggsx.jpg



My incubator temps are 89 degrees with the humidity at 99%. That is good right?

Also is it ok to offer food to my girl or should I wait a few days?

I can't wait until September. Exciting stuff. Thanks for reading my long story.

congrats! crossing fingers for some bees!

Congrats!

Your temps/humidity are fine, I wait a day or two before offering.

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Originally Posted by jben

congrats! crossing fingers for some bees!

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Thanks. Yes!!!! I hope so. Odds are really low but if I get one bee, one spider, and one pastel I'll be thrilled. I am nervous too because I want 100% hatch rate. I would hate to see something happen to the little guys. I feel like they are my kids..hahaha!

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

Congrats!

Your temps/humidity are fine, I wait a day or two before offering.

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Thanks. Should I go with smaller than usual size since she's lost a lot of weight? I usually give her medium size rats. I am thinking small rats for the first couple of weeks.

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Originally Posted by CeeJay

I am thinking small rats for the first couple of weeks.

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Good choice :)

congrats ! good luck and dont forget the press and seal!

nice suprise, congrats and good luck!

Nice one! Hope you get a nice bee :gj:

Congrats!

I have a big Pinstripe female I've been waiting for also, and I thought she was due i late May - still nothing! I hate when they do that! If she hasn't laid until the end of August I'll give up on her.

Fingers crossed for Bees!

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Originally Posted by JenEric Reptiles

congrats ! good luck and dont forget the press and seal!

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Thanks. Definitely did that. Read the sticky before for I made the egg container.

Nice! Those eggs look huge too. Did you weight them? I bet they all have nice plumb litte bees. Good luck!

congrats. same thing happened to me with a female. she looked like she had reabsorbed the eggs but still wouldnt eat. I left her only took her out to clean and give her water then I get home after the car accident i was in and find her on top of 3 eggs. 2 good ones and 1 slug. Needles to say they never seem to not surprise me.

Congratulations! I know exactly how you feel! I waited and waited and didn't think my girl was going to go and finally she started refusing feed and then ovulated and then laid eggs. 4 slugs and only one good one, so you can imagine how I'm like "AHHH NOTHING BETTER HAPPEN TO IT!!!!!!!!!" haha.

Good luck! Did you candle them?

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Originally Posted by AcePythons

Congratulations! I know exactly how you feel! I waited and waited and didn't think my girl was going to go and finally she started refusing feed and then ovulated and then laid eggs. 4 slugs and only one good one, so you can imagine how I'm like "AHHH NOTHING BETTER HAPPEN TO IT!!!!!!!!!" haha.

Good luck! Did you candle them?

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No, what is the proper way to do that?

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Originally Posted by stratus_020202

Nice! Those eggs look huge too. Did you weight them? I bet they all have nice plumb litte bees. Good luck!

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They are huge! I didn't weigh them. I was so concerned about getting everything ready that I forgot.

Seriously, if I get 3 Bees I'll be acting like a Twilight fan when they meet Edward. :banana:

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Originally Posted by CeeJay

They are huge! I didn't weigh them. I was so concerned about getting everything ready that I forgot.

Seriously, if I get 3 Bees I'll be acting like a Twilight fan when they meet Edward. :banana:

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You mean, when they meet Jacob... :D

I have 5 eggs in the ER from a pastel x spider too. I was maternally incubating and it took too long (60 days) - eggs didn't hatch yet and mom left them! So, they're currently in a make-shift bator hoping they'd make it. We were hoping for just one measley bee!

To candle, just stick a small flashlight up against the eggshell. It will make the inside of the egg glow which gives you a good view of the veins and the "jello wiggler" (there's a video on a thread with that title). This is a good way to determine if the egg is viable because you will see red veins going around the egg if it's good - no veins or "Dexter blood splatter" not too good.

To candle them just use a led flashlight and shine it in the egg. There should be blood vessels inside, and should be a pinkish red color. If its yellow inside and only yellow its most likely a dud. Although some appear that way at first and begin to grow the blood vessels a couple of days later. Turn the lights off when doing so, easier to see.

Btw, those are some big eggs congrats, and I hope you get a bee or 2 or 3 lol

Good luck!

Thanks all. I just check on her looks like she is in full on shed mode. I may just wait until she's done to feed her.

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Originally Posted by Animals As Leaders

To candle them just use a led flashlight and shine it in the egg. There should be blood vessels inside, and should be a pinkish red color. If its yellow inside and only yellow its most likely a dud. Although some appear that way at first and begin to grow the blood vessels a couple of days later. Turn the lights off when doing so, easier to see.

Btw, those are some big eggs congrats, and I hope you get a bee or 2 or 3 lol

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I think I am going to wait a few days. When I air out the container, I'll do it then. Hopefully I'll see veins.

Can anyone share things I should be doing over the next 60 days? The sticky thread said to open the egg container every 3-5 days so that the eggs do suffocate. Any other tips? Like what I should do at day 20, 30, 40 etc, etc. Thanks.

Just bumping to get tips for the question asked above. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by CeeJay

Just bumping to get tips for the question asked above. Thanks.

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Theres a DVD that The Snake Keeper did on breeding it's awesome you should probably start there covers everything including force feeding hatchlings.

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Originally Posted by CeeJay

Can anyone share things I should be doing over the next 60 days? The sticky thread said to open the egg container every 3-5 days so that the eggs do suffocate. Any other tips? Like what I should do at day 20, 30, 40 etc, etc. Thanks.

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I removed my press and seal after day 50 and also started opening up the egg tub every day after day 50 for about 20 seconds for air exchange. Other than that I don't know of anything that should change as time goes on.

I check on them once a day starting at like day 54.

Good Luck

All good stuff. Thanks.

I just checked on the eggs for the first time since Monday. There was condensation on the press n seal. Is this normal? I quickly changed it out because I didn't want the water to drip on the eggs. I placed a paper towel sheet under the press n seal like the sticky tub suggested. Please advise if this is ok. thanks.

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Originally Posted by CeeJay

I just checked on the eggs for the first time since Monday. There was condensation on the press n seal. Is this normal? I quickly changed it out because I didn't want the water to drip on the eggs.

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Condensation is normal.

I also candled the eggs. All 3 had veins. Good signs.

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Originally Posted by Jsh

Condensation is normal.

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So what's the best way to handle it so that it doesn't eventually drip on the eggs? I place a new sheet in there along with a paper towel so the towel absorbs the drips.

Congrats man, it shouldn't be too big of a deal if the water drips, just gently dab the egg dry with a paper towel.

days 10, 20, 30 and so on....


just wait man... haha

open the tub ever like 5 days, untill day 50, then open it everyday, and remove press and seal.


you should be fine.
:gj:



Here is to three bees, and a spider.


(i hope you get bee twins):D

Thanks man. Being that this is my first time I am super paranoid. With more clutches in the future I won't be freaking out as much.

Can anyone tell me what level of humidity is considered too low. Is it anything under 80%?