For those who incubate at 87F...

I am currently incubating my first ever clutch and today is day 50 :D I am starting to get super excited but I have been wondering what people's experience has been when incubating at 87F. Everything I read says that it will take longer than higher temps, which I understand. I also know that ever clutch is different. But I really like knowing what other people have observed with their clutches, especially those incubated at 87.

My clutch (5 eggs) is incubating at 87F, on a 50/50 vermiculite and perlite mix. The humidity is around 95%, with lots of condensation on the walls of the egg box, but none on the roof of the box. Today, day 50, four of the eggs are big, white, and plump, and one egg (in the center of the egg clump) is starting to dimple a little. All of the eggs candle beautifully, the snakes are moving about, and I am starting to notice a little bit of patterning on them. I did not use press n seal with the egg box because the lid fit nicely and kept in the humidity just fine. I have vented the box weekly throughout incubation until yesterday when I left the lid slightly open so the eggs can start "breathing" easier. I am hoping to see my first pip in the next 10-14 days (fingers crossed!).

If anyone wants to share their pipping day story (including incubating temps, humidity, and lay-to-pip time) I would love to hear it!

What is the desired result by incubating at the lower temp? Are the hatchlings larger, further along developmentally? Is there a better gender ratio? I've seen a couple people on here talking about it but I am not clear on the goal. I appreciate any light you can shed?

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Originally Posted by rlditmars

What is the desired result by incubating at the lower temp? Are the hatchlings larger, further along developmentally? Is there a better gender ratio? I've seen a couple people on here talking about it but I am not clear on the goal. I appreciate any light you can shed?

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From what I understand, and what I have read, the natural incubation temperature of ball pythons in the wild is 86 degrees. At this "lower" temp there is (apparently, I have not yet seen if it is true) better yolk absorption, and the hatchlings are bigger. The gender ratio is not affected. The only problem is that you have to wait longer to see babies! The only reason I am incubating at 87 is because I find it the easiest temperature to keep stable, and it is a "safe" set point.

I have my tstat set to 88-90. I'm not sure when they'll pip, i'll be sure to post! They aren't due until september though lol

Our incubator stays pretty steady around 89.3, and our first clutch is due to hatch September 2nd, 2nd clutch due September 29th. I know its a couple degrees higher than you incubate at, but none the less I will update with an official pip date when it comes to pass.

Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk 2

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

I have my tstat set to 88-90. I'm not sure when they'll pip, i'll be sure to post! They aren't due until september though lol

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Good luck! I love hearing about other people's clutches :-) what's the breeding?

Idk if you posted a clutch picture n to be honest its late n Im a little lazy to go n look for it right now, but what was the pairing? :) Congrats btw.

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Originally Posted by Southerrn_Breeder

Idk if you posted a clutch picture n to be honest its late n Im a little lazy to go n look for it right now, but what was the pairing? :) Congrats btw.

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There is a picture of her in another post somewhere, but it is a dinker project. My girl looks nothing close to normal, but the father is VERY normal :-) I am hoping beyond all hope that at least one snake in the clutch looks like mom! I know the odds aren't great, but it would be fun to add a new codominant or dominant morph to the world. Of course, it could be recessive too, but that just means I will have to wait a little longer to find out :-) I will post a picture of mom, dad, and clutch later today.

Sounds cool, pics of your dinker?

My first season also! Lucky enough to have all 4 of my breedable females lay for me. 3 girls to my butter pastel male with the cinny being my first laying 4 huge eggs, spider girl laid 7 and fire girl finally laid last week with 5 big'uns. Also had a pied project going with my pastel het male paired to a het female who majorly slugged out on me and only laid 1 viable egg... If I hit on a pied I will be absolutely ecstatic but trying not to get my hopes up!

As for the 87 degree thing, I cant see them taking too much longer, surely only a couple of weeks more than the norm? I admire your patience with trying the slower method; exactly half way today thru my first clutch incubator and I'm already losing it! :taz:

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Originally Posted by Snake Den

I am currently incubating my first ever clutch and today is day 50 :D I am starting to get super excited but I have been wondering what people's experience has been when incubating at 87F. Everything I read says that it will take longer than higher temps, which I understand. I also know that ever clutch is different. But I really like knowing what other people have observed with their clutches, especially those incubated at 87.

My clutch (5 eggs) is incubating at 87F, on a 50/50 vermiculite and perlite mix. The humidity is around 95%, with lots of condensation on the walls of the egg box, but none on the roof of the box. Today, day 50, four of the eggs are big, white, and plump, and one egg (in the center of the egg clump) is starting to dimple a little. All of the eggs candle beautifully, the snakes are moving about, and I am starting to notice a little bit of patterning on them. I did not use press n seal with the egg box because the lid fit nicely and kept in the humidity just fine. I have vented the box weekly throughout incubation until yesterday when I left the lid slightly open so the eggs can start "breathing" easier. I am hoping to see my first pip in the next 10-14 days (fingers crossed!).

If anyone wants to share their pipping day story (including incubating temps, humidity, and lay-to-pip time) I would love to hear it!

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sounds like from your post you did some research on this. one breeder I know incubated slightly lower than you and his eggs pip around 70 days. I saw the hatchlings a few days after that and they all looked very healthy and everyone couldn't believe how big they were.
another breeder I know did lower temps on his caramel albino clutch. he was getting kinking and when he lowered the temps, he still had kinking, but a huge improvement. he even stated that maybe he needed to lower them even more. this was only 2 clutches that I know of with results. these results could of happen even at higher temps. more studies need to be done to determine if lower temps will give better results. but what I've seen, I think it's well worth the research. good luck on your clutch and I'm also waiting to hear how it went for you! don

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Originally Posted by Ben.L

Sounds cool, pics of your dinker?

My first season also! Lucky enough to have all 4 of my breedable females lay for me. 3 girls to my butter pastel male with the cinny being my first laying 4 huge eggs, spider girl laid 7 and fire girl finally laid last week with 5 big'uns. Also had a pied project going with my pastel het male paired to a het female who majorly slugged out on me and only laid 1 viable egg... If I hit on a pied I will be absolutely ecstatic but trying not to get my hopes up!

As for the 87 degree thing, I cant see them taking too much longer, surely only a couple of weeks more than the norm? I admire your patience with trying the slower method; exactly half way today thru my first clutch incubator and I'm already losing it! :taz:

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Wow! Sounds like a great season for you! I look forward to hearing how they turn out. I hope you hit on pied :) The waiting game for me is not easy! I do sometimes wish I incubated at a higher temp, but like Don said below, a lower temp can also decrease certain problems like kinking. I also heard it works to decrease wobble. I will definitely incubate lower next season when I breed my albino spider girl to my albino, and my bumblebee to the yellow belly. Try to weed out any wobblers ;)

Here are the pics of my Dinker, her clutch, and the father:

This is Mom. You can see the four spots on her head and leopard-like pattern on her body
http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/...ps37072a83.jpg
In this next photo you can see that her tail doesn't have the usual stripe to it that most balls have...
http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6420cf9a.jpg
The next photo is of Dad. He is very normal, but a nice guy none the less :)
http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/...ps83992ddc.jpg
And finally my clutch... obviously the day they were laidhttp://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/...ps73f71137.jpg
Candling an egg about 2 weeks in.
http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4aaebb9e.jpg

I dont have current pictures of the eggs. They look very much the same, except the middle one is starting to dimple noticeably. Everyone is still moving about in there though!

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Originally Posted by don15681

sounds like from your post you did some research on this. one breeder I know incubated slightly lower than you and his eggs pip around 70 days. I saw the hatchlings a few days after that and they all looked very healthy and everyone couldn't believe how big they were.
another breeder I know did lower temps on his caramel albino clutch. he was getting kinking and when he lowered the temps, he still had kinking, but a huge improvement. he even stated that maybe he needed to lower them even more. this was only 2 clutches that I know of with results. these results could of happen even at higher temps. more studies need to be done to determine if lower temps will give better results. but what I've seen, I think it's well worth the research. good luck on your clutch and I'm also waiting to hear how it went for you! don

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It is very nice for someone else to acknowledge all the research I have done. I am a veterinary student, and so it is in my nature to know as much as possible about the care of the animal as possible. I have a habit of taking ball python books with me to school to read between classes, and after exams! I do have a small addiction to these awesome animals! Thank you for your input on the lower temperatures. I had heard about a lower temp reducing wobble, but it is interesting about the kinking as well. Thanks!

Ok she is REALLY neat looking! I hope this proves genetic.

I incubated my first clutch at around 87* to 88* and they hatched around day 60. My second two clutches I incubated closer to 88*- 89* and they pipped on day 55.

I had my first clutch this year with 5 eggs. I incubated at 87-88 degrees and the first 1 pipped on day 57. I did not cut any of the eggs and let them pip on their own. My smallest weighed 76 grams and my largest was 94 grams. As this is my first clutch I can't say if the slightly lower temp and longer time in the egg helped with weights but I know I am going to go with the same temp and not cutting again next season and see if I have the same good luck