Day 43... few questions & pattern pics!

My eggs are now on day 43 of incubation, and the 6 healthy eggs (one went bad early on) are looking great! I just candled them, and see good veins & movement in every egg... I can also see a clear pattern now, and got some cool photos which I'll post below. Mom is a normal who locked with a mojave & pastel, and my untrained eye says it looks like a pastel - or a nice reduced normal. :)

I'm incubating in a converted mini-fridge with a solid door, using a 6qt tub with no holes and Glad Press & Seal. I had some trouble stabilizing the temps at first, so they lingered just above 90 for the first week or two. Since then it's been fairly stable, holding at 89.2-89.6 degrees. As I incubated at slightly higher temps, when do you think I should expect pippers? And do you think the early fluctuations will affect anything? They've all started to dimple this week, so I think they might hatch in the next 10-12 days.

I also have a question about "burping" or airing out the tub at this stage... so far I've only been doing that every 6-7 days, but I read somewhere to do it more often after day 40ish. Is that correct? And when (if ever) should I remove the Press & Seal and/or lid? Is it okay for them to pip & emerge with everything still sealed up? I'm also a bit concerned about how often I've been opening the door and tub, but I had no choice for two reasons... one being the solid door, and the other being that I've had to maintain a moldy egg (since it couldn't be removed from the clutch). I have a couple of water bottles to hold temps, and have tried to do all maintenance without removing the tub from the incubator. Any words of advice would be appreciated, and wish me luck!! :oops:

Here are the candling pics... I know it's a crapshoot at this point, but any guesses on the morph (or lack thereof)?

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...3/P1010571.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...3/P1010573.jpg

And here's the whole clutch - including Mr. moldy egg, dimpled eggs, and a pancake egg (top right, been like that since week 2)
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...3/P1010575.jpg

The current setup
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...3/P1010579.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...3/P1010580.jpg

Lookin good, :banana: :banana:

I tend to refresh the air every day after about day 45-50. Partially out of impatioence but mainly because I read their oxygen requirements increase towards the end of incubation. :gj:


dr del

Looking good, I'm on day 50 so I'm looking in twice a day, mine haven't even started dimpling....well 2 a little bit

why is there a marking on each egg?

To mark the top, cause you don't wan't them rolling around

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Originally Posted by qinw

why is there a marking on each egg?

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Originally Posted by llovelace

To mark the top, cause you don't wan't them rolling around

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Yep. :gj: The clutch was laid in a pyramid shape, with only one separate from the rest... you don't want them being jostled or turned, so it's always a good idea to mark the top. Some people number each egg, to keep track of who's who - but since I'm not making hets or combining clutches, I figure it doesn't really matter!

P.S. Thanks for the replies, and I'll start checking them daily after this week... I can't wait to see them out!! Should I remove the glad-wrap and/or lid at any point, or just leave the tub as is?

Btw, I went back to sleep shortly after posting this thread, and had a dream about them hatching. :D The first one came out looking normal, but full of attitude - and I had to wear a gardening glove to handle him/her. Then the others popped out, and had really weird patterns & color... almost like they hadn't finished developing, and were missing pigment in areas. One also looked like a super cinnamon, which really would be a shocker for this clutch! Guess that was my new-mom paranoia coming out, since I am getting anxious to see what's inside. :oops:

The wrap comes off around day 45, then just the lid on

Cool, thanks! I took off the glad-wrap today, since it's day 45... the moldy egg looks like a science experiment, but isn't affecting the other eggs so I'll leave it alone. Everyone else looks good, a little more dimpled than I'd expect at this point, but lots of movement and pattern in each. I candled the eggs again (can't resist, LOL), and saw even more pattern on that separate one - lots of evenly spaced black stripes, but I have no idea what that means. :D It almost looks like a spider, which would be somewhat possible as she spent 2 nights with him. Anyway, thanks again for the tips & I'll let you know when they pip!!!

P.S. I'm not planning to cut them at ALL, since I'm too paranoid about messing up (cutting into the snake or doing it too early). But if only some of them pip on their own, how long would you normally wait before cutting the rest? Also, there is one egg buried under the rest, and I'm concerned the baby won't be able to emerge... can they figure that out, or will I need to separate the eggs when they start to pip?

Last year my first one pipped on day 52 and I cut the rest that day.
This year I cut on day 52 :P

I could very well be wrong, but I'd say the candled pics you posted are pastels, so mark them for me & when you cut let me know :)

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Originally Posted by llovelace

I could very well be wrong, but I'd say the candled pics you posted are pastels, so mark them for me & when you cut let me know :)

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I think they're pastels too, based on the pattern and light color... somehow they already remind me of Toby (the potential daddy). I hope at least one is a female too! ;)

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Also, there is one egg buried under the rest, and I'm concerned the baby won't be able to emerge... can they figure that out, or will I need to separate the eggs when they start to pip?

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At about 2 to 3 days before they pip, the eggs naturally start letting go of each other. It will be easy for you to separate them and position them however you like (and get Mr. Moldy out). This is also part of the hatching timeline that can help you get a better feel for when to expect the first pip!
Paul

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Originally Posted by PiedPeddler

At about 2 to 3 days before they pip, the eggs naturally start letting go of each other. It will be easy for you to separate them and position them however you like (and get Mr. Moldy out). This is also part of the hatching timeline that can help you get a better feel for when to expect the first pip!
Paul

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Awesome, thanks! :gj: They have already started to "loosen their grip," which I just noticed this morning... the one on top is letting go of Mr. Moldy, so maybe I'll try to remove it tomorrow. That egg is starting to stink! I also noticed more dimpling today, so it looks like they'll be pipping any day now - I incubated a little high (89.5-90*), which should lessen the incubation time a bit.

I cut on day 52 and the lil buggers are still in the eggs, on day 57 today :taz:

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Originally Posted by llovelace

I cut on day 52 and the lil buggers are still in the eggs, on day 57 today :taz:

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Dang... taking their sweet time, huh? :rolleyes: I'm still not planning to cut, unless I reach day 55 (Monday) without any pippers. Too nervous that I'll cut them early and/or kill the babies!

Btw, I was just watching cutting videos on YouTube, and saw some rough handling with the eggs... at this point in the incubation, are they able to tolerate more jostling and time outside of the incubator? I'm still treating them like newly laid eggs, trying not to disturb them much.

P.S. Eggs are deflating quite a bit now, but still showing excellent veins and movement... and I'm like 90% sure that egg shown above is a pastel. ;)

I'm pretty sure pattern and colour are the last things to come on a hatchling. I don't think you will be able to tell until the pip or you cut :).

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Originally Posted by Jeremy78

I'm pretty sure pattern and colour are the last things to come on a hatchling. I don't think you will be able to tell until the pip or you cut :).

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They say you can tell pattern & color after day 35-ish, and some breeders claim to have a degree of accuracy in guessing... I'm guessing too, obviously, but it really does look like a pastel in there! Just driving myself crazy, though - LOL. :D

I'm right with you, my 5 egg pastel/normal clutch was laid on 6/22 also. I pulled off the glad wrap a few days ago. and i also have 1 moldy egg :( here's to a bunch of baby pastels :D