How long will i wait to cut my ball pthon egg

when can i cut my ball python egg? how many days should I wait? I just saw in youtube the advantage of cutting the egg.

There is no advantage to cutting your eggs aside from allowing you to see what you have. The day that you are able to cut all depends on the temp that you are incubating at.

if you do decide to cut your eggs rather than let the snakes pip their own the general rule of thumb from what I've read and heard is cut once the first egg has pipped naturally.


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Personally, I would not cut but if you do, I would say no earlier than day 60 at 89 degrees to be safe!

day 56

Like someone else said, it depends on your temps. I would just wait until the first one pips. It is true that really the only advantage of cutting them is to see what you have. Some people have said their babies didn't have the egg tooth, or didn't know how to get out, but I'm betting that is fairly uncommon. My clutch last year was a disaster, just about everything that could go wrong with them did, but they all had their egg tooth. I plan to cut after the first one pips.

I don't wanna burst anyones bubble but the earliest I have cut before was day 29. Now granted it was just a small V just to see if I hit albino's or not but in any case they all hatched out just fine and had no problems! Infact they were all killer feeders! But I wouldn't recommend it to someone who A. this is their first year or B. isn't confident in what they are doing or is afraid they may "screw" up. I may have been lucky but then again I cut the 6 other clutches I had early too. Not at day 29 but more like 35-40. Guess I was just impatient.

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Originally Posted by BAD Morphs

I don't wanna burst anyones bubble but the earliest I have cut before was day 29. Now granted it was just a small V just to see if I hit albino's or not but in any case they all hatched out just fine and had no problems! Infact they were all killer feeders! But I wouldn't recommend it to someone who A. this is their first year or B. isn't confident in what they are doing or is afraid they may "screw" up. I may have been lucky but then again I cut the 6 other clutches I had early too. Not at day 39 but more like 35-40. Guess I was just impatient.

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:colbert::colbert::colbert:

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

:colbert::colbert::colbert:

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Speak for yourself lol

I did 53 last year.. but only because I was so impatient and I cut to much and it made a mess of things, egg goo eveywhere and looked like it was starting to mold and kept having to remove the top layer... nasty.... Won't be do that again.

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.

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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!

the reason why I raise this topic was i had saw in youtube regarding drowning and regarding of coiled umbilical cord in the snake, Iam not so selfish or unfair or impatience in planing this type. maybe Ill just wait until the first baby has pipped it's own egg. Thanks to all who had comment. more power...

I would definitely wait till the first pips. Once you are more experienced you can decided from there!

For those that cut really early how do you keep them from getting nasty/moldy?

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

I would definitely wait till the first pips. Once you are more experienced you can decided from there!

For those that cut really early how do you keep them from getting nasty/moldy?

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Like I said in a earlier post, I will not be cutting that early aggain, and i cut the top off to make it evn worse.. ( first time and being stupid). But I ended up always having to pick up the egg and a littel squeeze and wipeing of the top to get that top section of nastyness off. it was a disaster.. ALL of them ( (8 of 8) survived, but it was alot more work on my side jsut for freaking out and being impatent. I actualy had to add water to a few to keep them moist... :(

Never again that early!!

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

I would definitely wait till the first pips. Once you are more experienced you can decided from there!

For those that cut really early how do you keep them from getting nasty/moldy?

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Well for one, you don't cut the top completely off, you leave a flap there so it can be opened and shut. And yeah the goo does get a little gook in it but a few swirls of a q tip every now and then and your golden ;)

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Originally Posted by BAD Morphs

Well for one, you don't cut the top completely off, you leave a flap there so it can be opened and shut. And yeah the goo does get a little gook in it but a few swirls of a q tip every now and then and your golden ;)

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Ok I wondered. Last year I cut a little slit in mine on day 54/55 and they got nasty right away. I'm not cutting until the first pips this year! Maybe some day I'll cut early, but it's not as easy as people make it out to be :gj:

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Originally Posted by Subdriven

Like I said in a earlier post, I will not be cutting that early aggain, and i cut the top off to make it evn worse.. ( first time and being stupid). But I ended up always having to pick up the egg and a littel squeeze and wipeing of the top to get that top section of nastyness off. it was a disaster.. ALL of them ( (8 of 8) survived, but it was alot more work on my side jsut for freaking out and being impatent. I actualy had to add water to a few to keep them moist... :(

Never again that early!!

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thank for your suggestion....

I plan on cutting on the first pip or day 60 whichever comes first.....

Sorry to bring back an old thread, but has anyone waited longer than 60 days? The reason I ask is I have 13 eggs in the incubator on day 60 that are dimpled, but no pips. Should I cut or wait longer?

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Originally Posted by zoologist

Sorry to bring back an old thread, but has anyone waited longer than 60 days? The reason I ask is I have 13 eggs in the incubator on day 60 that are dimpled, but no pips. Should I cut or wait longer?

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what temp?

89 Deg

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Originally Posted by Jessica Loesch

what temp?

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I'd wait.

It shouldn't be too long now.

There's no reason to worry unless the eggs are deteriorating or smell. Be patient. They will pip when they're are ready.

Thats what i was thinking... I just get so darned excited!

Was just going to say if temp was lower it would be longer, but at 89, they should be due any day now! Good luck!

You were right. They pipped last night!

Congrats! ;)

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Originally Posted by BAD Morphs

I don't wanna burst anyones bubble but the earliest I have cut before was day 29. Now granted it was just a small V just to see if I hit albino's or not but in any case they all hatched out just fine and had no problems! Infact they were all killer feeders! But I wouldn't recommend it to someone who A. this is their first year or B. isn't confident in what they are doing or is afraid they may "screw" up. I may have been lucky but then again I cut the 6 other clutches I had early too. Not at day 29 but more like 35-40. Guess I was just impatient.

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if you wanted to know if you hit albinos all you had to do is candle them around day 35 to 40 @ 88F. albinos eggs have a pink glow to them het eggs are much darker. easy to tell apart

Pics!!!!!

I hatched out two Cinnies and one granite looking normal.

Cinny
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...0/3/4/mini.jpg

Cinny
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file.../3/4/2mini.jpg

Cinny and Normal
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file..._3934733_n.jpg

I'm still waiting on a 10 egg Pastel Het OG x Lazik Tiger Het OG clutch that is on day 64. I don't get it...

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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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Ding, ding, ding....once you've seen it, you would think differently. Deborah and I saw not one, but two beautiful pinstripes that were unable to pip their eggs. Not only were the dead bodies dreadfully sad, it was even more heart wrenching, when the breeder showed us how they had stripped all the blood vessels off the side of the inside of their respective eggs trying to frantically pip the egg and take their first breath.