cutting eggs

Does everybody "cut" the eggs, or are there folks who wait until they come out on their own? Is there a problem with letting them come out on their own?

Some cut, some wait for the first to pip, then cut, and some let them all pip on their own

So what exactly are the pros and cons of cutting vs waiting?

there are times, when a baby snake cannot pip on it's own & will drown in the egg.

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Originally Posted by J-Jabba

So what exactly are the pros and cons of cutting vs waiting?

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People cut because they're impatient...me included. I usually wait until the first one pips, then cut. Some people cut at day 30...:O IMHO once they hit day 56 you're good to go to cut...

And no, there's no problem waiting for them to all come out on their own...that's how nature planned it...:gj:

I do not cut because I am impatient if it was the case I would cut on day 30 or so :rolleyes:, if I can wait through 52 days I can assure you I can wait a few more I cut on day 52 to prevent possible drowning.

To me breeding animals means putting all the chances on my side and doing everything I can to ensure successful hatch. (it goes from incubating using an incubator to cutting)

I do not recommend cutting if you do not know what you are doing because like with everything else there are risks.

We have been allowing all of the clutches to pip first and then cut, after my partner lost a clutch to cutting early I will never again, there is no reason to cut early except impatience.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

We have been allowing all of the clutches to pip first and then cut, after my partner lost a clutch to cutting early I will never again, there is no reason to cut early except impatience.

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Yeah, this is my big fear. I'm super impatient, but I'm getting such a wide range of answer in the "natural" hatch date, that I worry I'd cut a 64-day clutch at day 52 and lose half the babies:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ght=hatch+date

But I've also read plenty of stories about babies not pipping and drowning in the last day of incubation. Once in a while they aren't born with an egg tooth, or they get wrapped up in their umbilicus, and you won't know they need help unless you cut. (Now, some people argue that snakes without egg teeth should be allowed to die, because they would die in nature... but what if it's the only lavender albino in the clutch? But that a whole other argument.)

Anyway, I like the "cut after first pip" compromise.

It has been a long time since I cut an egg. This season I went low and slow (87F and 63+ day incubation). I've had two clutches hatch and four more to go, and I doubt I'll cut any of them.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

I do not cut because I am impatient if it was the case I would cut on day 30 or so :rolleyes:, if I can wait through 52 days I can assure you I can wait a few more I cut on day 52 to prevent possible drowning.

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Are the odds of "drowning" higher than the odds of a problem due to cutting before they are ready? I'll bet more babies are lost every year due to cutting than drowning...not at day 52...that's reasonable...day 30? day 40? Not so much...

I've heard the drowning argument before...just haven't seen enough instances of baby balls drowning because they couldn't cut their way out of the egg to make it a legit reason...I still say we're all just impatient! :D

99% of my clutches come out in 60-64 days. I don't cut until the first one pipps. I've seen a couple clutches from others that they lost babies due to cutting. I would just rather wait until others are pipping on their own. Look at it this way if you cut on day 56 let's say they don't come out until day 62 that's 6 days of egg maintenance. Flushing etc to make sure bacteria doesnt build, if you do have bacteria build any babies lives hang in the balance.
If the first one pips on day 62 and then you cut the others, you won't have any egg maintenance to go through and very little chance of losing babies due to bacterial build up etc.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

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Originally Posted by Homegrownscales

99% of my clutches come out in 60-64 days. I don't cut until the first one pipps. I've seen a couple clutches from others that they lost babies due to cutting. I would just rather wait until others are pipping on their own. Look at it this way if you cut on day 56 let's say they don't come out until day 62 that's 6 days of egg maintenance. Flushing etc to make sure bacteria doesnt build, if you do have bacteria build any babies lives hang in the balance.
If the first one pips on day 62 and then you cut the others, you won't have any egg maintenance to go through and very little chance of losing babies due to bacterial build up etc.

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That's one of the clearest explanations of the problems of cutting early I've heard.

So what do people use to flush? Saline? But not eyewash. Is the stuff they sell in the ear and nose section of the pharmacy okay?

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Originally Posted by sho220

I've heard the drowning argument before...just haven't seen enough instances of baby balls drowning because they couldn't cut their way out of the egg to make it a legit reason

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I have seen it first end back in 2008 while staying at well known breeder's place and that was enough for me and I have been cutting ever since. :gj:

The flushing stuff is regular saline like for washing contacts. I've seen folks use distilled water before. I think the sterile saline is a better option. I always keep some handy just in case.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

I only cut if I think there is a problem or there is the potential for a problem. Otherwise, I let them all pip on their own.

This year I am waiting until the first baby pips and then I cut the rest of the clutch. In the beginning cut because that is what I was told is proper. I cut on day 53 for the first 2 seasons until I found out some people don't cut their eggs. The following two seasons we cut on day 53-55 depending on how impatient I was, and this year because of the research project we are cutting at first pip. Choose the technique that is most comfortable for you.

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Originally Posted by sho220

Are the odds of "drowning" higher than the odds of a problem due to cutting before they are ready? I'll bet more babies are lost every year due to cutting than drowning...not at day 52...that's reasonable...day 30? day 40? Not so much...

I've heard the drowning argument before...just haven't seen enough instances of baby balls drowning because they couldn't cut their way out of the egg to make it a legit reason...I still say we're all just impatient! :D

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I have never had any ill affects due to cutting eggs. I cut every clutch every time to eliminate the chance of a neonate not having the ability to get out. Does drowning occur often? Probably not that often but I dont take that chance,

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Originally Posted by iCandiBallPythons

I have never had any ill affects due to cutting eggs. I cut every clutch every time to eliminate the chance of a neonate not having the ability to get out. Does drowning occur often? Probably not that often but I dont take that chance,

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What day do you normally cut? Cutting is definitely a personal thing...and whatever works best for the particular breeder is probably the best way to go. I forgot about the babies with umbilicus problems (ie. twisted or tangled) and that seems like a legit reason...I saw several threads last year about it...and several babies were saved because of it...still not sure the chance of drowning legitamizes it...regardless...cutting at day 30 or 40 is still absurd...:D Cutting towards the end is okay IMO...:)

this is my first season breeding and having eggs, and I cut mine on day 54, they came out of day 57 and so far so good. All my friends who are breeders cut and they have had less issues cutting then not.

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Originally Posted by sho220

What day do you normally cut? Cutting is definitely a personal thing...and whatever works best for the particular breeder is probably the best way to go. I forgot about the babies with umbilicus problems (ie. twisted or tangled) and that seems like a legit reason...I saw several threads last year about it...and several babies were saved because of it...still not sure the chance of drowning legitamizes it...regardless...cutting at day 30 or 40 is still absurd...:D Cutting towards the end is okay IMO...:)

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Typically I will cut somewhere within the last 2 weeks of incubation, my incubator temps are steady around 89.5 F. Occasionally if I have an egg dimple very bad and I cant get it to pop back as in a clutch I just hatched I will cut a little earlier but will wait until as late in the incubation as I feel I can . Umbilicus probs do concern me more than a neonate not having an egg tooth but, umbilicus probs can still happen after cutting.