Does cutting eggs before pipping create bad feeders?

On May 4th, day 54 of incubation, one baby from my clutch of 7 eggs pipped, so I decided to cut the rest that day. I avoided cutting veins and placed them back in the incubator for them to emerge on their own. They all came out over the course of two days, and all yolk sacs had been absorbed and their belly buttons closed. Seemingly perfect babies!

Maybe it's jut coincidence, but all except that one that pipped are terrible feeders. She was impressive, eating 2 days after her first shed, an f/t pinky rat, no less, and has been pounding them ever since. One I have only gotten to eat 4 times on its own. The rest have to be assist fed as no trick in the book has worked. One of them hasn't even had its first shed.

My question is, Could there be a correlation between eggs not allowed to pip on their own and insecure babies? Or did I just get a very weak clutch of animals?:taz:

I dont think cutting affects how they eat at all. How are you trying to feed them? How are they set up?

Each in their own 6qt tub, paper towel substrate, crumpled newspaper to hide, temps 91-93 warm, 78 cool (measured with temp gun) 58% humidity

I've tried live pinky rats, f/t pink mice (I know it's small but tried it anyway) live fuzzy mice and f/t hopper mice. Mice are in extremely short supply here and I only breed rats, so I am still actively looking for some live hopper mice to try out.
I've tried leaving the food in the cage overnight, braining the f/t rodents, and putting both snake and meal in a small tupperware, wrapped in black cloth or paper bag and kept in a dark spot overnight.

How long have you waited? They could take as much as month before assist feeding is necessary.

Assist feeding is extremely stressful, and should only be used as a last resort.

How many times did you try feeding them before you assist fed?

I wouldn't worry about it. I had a male spider last year that took over 2 month to eat after hatching. I was getting really worried about him so i tried assist feeding and he still would not take. Im not comfortable with force feeding so i just wait. He did lose some weight with him not hatching. But after month 2 he started eating on his own with out assist feeding and never turned back since. It was also my first year breeding so it was bothering quite a bit, but learned to be patient.

Last year I noticed that some clutches started off on frozen thawed without an issue. I then realized that they were clutches that I didn't cut. This year I decided not to cut eggs unless the eggs didn't pip within 48 hours of the first one to pip. So far 5+ clutches have started on frozen thawed which is unheard of. I've gotten approx. 40 babies to start on f/t and haven't had to offer live yet. Maybe there is something to it??

Hmmm.. I would like to hear more data.

Hmm. I wonder if it could have something to do with it? I just really don't see how though.

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This interests me.

It so happens I have two clutches hatching now. I cut both clutches on day 57, there were a few signs of pipping, but none had actually pipped the egg open. I will now make an effort to record sheds and feeding efforts, and will be posting the results. I am curious to see if mine are difficult to feed since I pipped them.

Gale

My limited experience with cutting vs. allowing them pip on their own. I incubate at 90 F usually the pip around day 54 - 55

I keep my hatchlings in 6qt tubs with paper towels a very small hide and a water bowl. 4" heat tape belly heat with a surface temp in the tub over the heat around 88 F. I dont even attempt to feed until the day after they have all shed.

My last clutch piped on their own when I was working out of town. This particular clutch had 4 eggs. One of the four started on live rat pups 2 days after first shed (their first offering) the other 3 refused. I waited 5 days tried again the same one ate again and 1 other took a rat pup the remaining 2 refused so I gave them a hopper mouse and they both took it. Now its several weeks later the 2 that have taken rat pups continue to do so every 5 days the other two still want mice but will take mice readily. I even make them wait an extra day or two before offering a mouse in hopes they will take a rat because I breed rats not mice but no luck yet.

I have had several other clutches some of which I cut some I didn’t. I have had to do the same thing with mice for some but I have always gotten them to switch to rats eventually. I haven't noticed a difference between the one's I cut and the one's that piped on their own.

It has been over 2 months since they have hatched. I assist fed all except two of them on the 6th because they have lost quite a bit of weight. I've tried more times than I can count getting them to eat on their own, usually every 3-4 days since after their first shed. The one who pipped on her own and started on F/T has eaten 10 times so far.

Good news! One that wasn't eating took a live rat pink tonight. Unfortunately I have no other live pinks to try the rest of them on, the momma rat only had that one pup... I'm due to have litters in a couple days, hopefully the rest want to eat by then.

Another one ate yesterday! I wonder if they just needed to know how being full feels because I did nothing different. I hadn't offered live quite as often as f/t, but still frequently enough to know they absolutely wouldn't take them before.

My opinion. And it can only BE opinion because I highly doubt anybody has ever done any kind of scientifically based study on this and therefore there is no proof, is that cutting eggs doesn't make any difference one way or the other on how well the snake feeds.

It would be very interesting to gather more data on the feeding response of hatchlings who had their eggs cut vs. those who did not. Hmm...I wonder how many clutches with similar results it would take to be deemed a scientific theory? I might have to ask around at the University and found out. I'd be interested in participating to be sure.

Glad to hear that more of the babies are eating for you now though! :gj:

Dave, Nakita... We gotta figure this thing out! Lol, thanks for all the input, everyone.

I've been wondering if it's a heritable trait. I have one clutch this year where all the babies started quickly, one where most started quickly with a few coming in later, and one in which all but one baby have started late (and one not at all, yet).

They all (all 3 clutches) hatched within days of each other.
All were cut once the first babies pipped.
The one in the later starting clutch that did not start late, was one of the ones that was cut. She, and the one that has not started yet, emerged on the same day--last out of the egg for that clutch. (In fact, the good feeder was the very last out).

I'll start paying more attention, and make note of who pips on their own and who is cut, but I don't think it's going to turn out to be important.

Also, the clutch that all started well and early, began pipping on day 53 of incubation. The others began on day 56. So, I don't see a correlation there, either.

I don't think so. Last year I had 12 babies and all but two ate the very first time I offered prey. I cut my eggs on day 52-54.

Absolutely holding true for my year of Blood Python clutches.

I have cut just about every single egg I have hatched since 2002...Most eat a day or two after shed...A few hold out a couple weeks and I only have a few babies a year that need to be assist fed.


Over the years I have noticed picky/bad eaters seem to pass that along...I started selling anything that didn't eat well a while back...

From my experience, I think appetite, or lack thereof, may be genetic, I don't think cutting has much to do with it...