My first ever clutch

Just wanted to share my first ever clutch.
Pairing was a lesser x banana Mojave enchi.
Five lovely eggs, laid a few hours ago.
The only weird thing was she didn’t wrap around the eggs, she just left the clutch for me to collect. First time nerves maybe?

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...defb19e667.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They look great! Good luck- :gj:

My first worry if she wasn't wrapping them is are you sure she was done? I can't say that I've had a female not wrap the eggs once she was finished. They often have to move around to get them positioned to come out though so I will see the female all over the enclosure while she is still working on laying the rest.

If she is in fact done and she did that, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Congrats!

I was a little concerned about that but no more eggs 24 hours later.
She also laid her eggs in the cold end... basically she broke all of the rules.

All the eggs have veins when I candled them, I understand that to be a good sign!

After reading so many threads about things going wrong, from this point onwards I'm going to be on edge until they hatch!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paddy

I was a little concerned about that but no more eggs 24 hours later.
She also laid her eggs in the cold end... basically she broke all of the rules.

All the eggs have veins when I candled them, I understand that to be a good sign!

After reading so many threads about things going wrong, from this point onwards I'm going to be on edge until they hatch!

---

Keep in mind, aside from new people, people that it's going well aren't usually posting. Try to stay positive :)

Good luck!! My 2nd clutch is on day 45 and I understand the nerves!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paddy

... from this point onwards I'm going to be on edge until they hatch!

---

There's a technical term for this among snarents- it's called "egg-xiety". :D

I checked the eggs yesterday (just by looking through the incubator door, don't want to disturb anything) and it looks like they have some very very small dimpling, nothing close to crumpled but just not as smooth as they were a week ago.

Is that normal with some eggs or should i consider adding a little more water to the vermiculite?
I have condensation on the side of the egg box, and it's sealed.

I don't usually see dimpling quite this early on. If there is condensation on the box, the humidity should be nice and high. If its very subtle, I would probably leave it be for now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paddy

I checked the eggs yesterday (just by looking through the incubator door, don't want to disturb anything) and it looks like they have some very very small dimpling, nothing close to crumpled but just not as smooth as they were a week ago.

---

Some eggs will dimple during development, others will be perfect eggs until they hatch.
A very very small amount early on is nothing to worry about. You might even see a bit of a textured pattern (shown below #7), don't sweat it. :)

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...fcvu2j1f9m.jpg

Of course dimpling increases over time and is completely normal in the later stages (#4).

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...meqgf8w7w7.jpg


The eggs will swell and look 'normal' right before they hatch.

Thanks so much for those photos. Mine are closest to your first picture but not as textured. Maybe I’ll try to take a quick photo at some
point but I don’t really want to even open the incubator at the moment.

I opened the box for the first time and see the eggs are more dimpled now. Especially the top one. I added a little more water to the vermiculite and closed it back up.
Hope it’s not too late for these eggs.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9cc40b0bd9.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They don't look too bad so may be just fine.

Good luck! Crossing fingers for you :)

Egg update. They are more crumpled now, only day 23.
I also noticed the temperature is creeping up in the incubator and egg box to 91f. Should I turn the temperature down slightly or just leave as is?
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e9ce58697c.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very early to be dimpling, what's your humidity at? Maybe you are opening the tub too much. I use substrateless incubation also but I use press and seal on the tub and then cover it with the lid. I leave everything alone and don't even peak until day 50-55. I have had power outages during incubation and have yet to lose a good egg after I started leaving them alone in their egg box. I had a female lay one time when I got stuck traveling for work during covid quarantine and after two weeks of maternal incubation they were extremely dimpled. I pulled the eggs and placed them my egg box, laid a damp paper towel over them for one day in the incubator before removing the moist towel. After that I did not touch the eggs until the first pip, thank goodness I managed to save them because it was my third attempt at Double het Lavender pied x Double het lavender pied and the one I finally hit the dreamsicle.

Thanks!
Opened twice, each time because I noticed the dimpling.
Humidity is very high but I’m not using press and seal. I guess I could try one final box opening to do that and the paper towel trick…
How about the temp?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I let mum hatch them naturally in her viv ..

100% success


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I set incubator at 89, usually get a pip anywhere from 55-60 days but the latest I had a clutch pip was on day 63, I cut rest of the eggs after first pip.

While some people have success at 91F, that is really pushing it. If it were me I would turn it down a tad. Better to hatch slower than fry them, and with you already having strong dimpling, even more so.

Very gradually lowered the heat a tiny bit. We’re at 89 now.

Also, reluctantly, opened the box a final
time to put press n seal on. Eggs do not appear to have crumpled any more than before so fingers crossed they are viable.

Lessons learnt for next time but I wish I hadn’t had to open the box three times.

Now I will a leave totally alone for the remaining 25-30 days.

None of the eggs appear to have died at least?

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c4b2832bea.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m just having a tough time with these eggs. Since adding the press n seal the eggs now look too wet. I took some photos without opening so not the best photos.
Got mold and what looks like discoloration which I’m guessing is water collecting on the eggs.
Don’t know what do to now… my hopes aren’t high!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ba3913f855.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...681b91d3c5.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How many days are you in now? Usually the press and seal does collect water droplets on top but unless the egg box is moved or opened it usually does not drop on the eggs. If everything is looking good you can use some zeasorb powder (athletes foot stuff) to help dry the eggs and combat mold. Sorry this has been so difficult, hopefully they pull through.

Thanks. These are at day 43 now. So technically not long to go if they are viable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's very close, they don't look far gone. Have you candled the eggs? If i'm not mistaken didn't you incubate at 91 early on? They might be further along than day 43 if you incubated at a higher temp. I incubate 88-89 and end up with pips at 54-56, the earliest I'd ever had a pip was when I incubated three clutches of ball pythons eggs with Leopard geckos eggs at 90 (incubating for male Leos), the BP clutches pipped at around day 49-52.

On day 50 now but it’s looking very much like the whole clutch has gone. They are all looking a little green and slimy now. I’m no expert but I know that must be a very bad sign.

I guess I made some mistakes along the way. Good learning experience but obviously I’m feeling very disappointed and frustrated with myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry to hear they all went bad on you. It happens sometimes even under perfect conditions so don't beat yourself up.

Next year I'd add water and vermiculite by weight and seal it up from the start so you know the humidity is perfect and constant the whole time. Adding water later, it's very difficult to add just the right amount and not overdo it.

Yeah I did it by weight and then panicked and added more. So frustrated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paddy

On day 50 now but it’s looking very much like the whole clutch has gone. They are all looking a little green and slimy now. I’m no expert but I know that must be a very bad sign.

I guess I made some mistakes along the way. Good learning experience but obviously I’m feeling very disappointed and frustrated with myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Is there anything stopping you from cutting eggs now? If they are viable it will not kill them, you just have to make sure you put lid on egg box (without the press and seal) and put them back in the incubator until they crawl out.

I checked two and they not viable. Would have been nice snakes. So gutted… tough lessons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So sorry for your loss, but it happens. Better luck next time.