:( Sad

I don't know what I am doing wrong but I think I have lost my first clutch of 6 eggs and am on my way to loosing my second clutch.

The eggs are still perfectly round (second Clutch) but they are no longer white. Temps are Good - 89* @ 94% humidity. Does the vermiculate discolor the eggs? They are turning like a dark color?? Do I have too much water in my vermicilite. I thought I had it a bit on the dry side.

First Clutch

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...ing/img063.jpg

second clutch

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...ing/img062.jpg

I have them in an air tight container. I don't know what i am doing wrong. :(

these pics are a few days old so they look even worse then these pics. Thinking about switching back to the Peralite. they were atleast white when they were in the peralite.

I need some thoughts Input. Do i have them set up correctly?

Am I doing something wrong. Can I save them. I should have one more clutch coming and I don't want to make the same mistakes. I have read the breeding guide on ballpythons.ca I just don't know what I am doing wrong.

I am using a Hovabator but I have a stand up freezer that I converting to an incubator but I haven't finished it yet.

It is very hard to say what is wrong with out seeing in person.
Usually the problem is too much water. One way to check is grab some in your fist and squeeze real hard. If water drips out you have too much. It should clump and stay together but shouldnt be able to wring out water. If it doesnt stay nicely clumped together it may be too dry.

Ok I will check that when i get home today.

what about the discoloration of the eggs??

Hovabators are not very accurate and are known to flucuate alot. I would get a cooler and some flexwatt and a good thermostat and make a much better incubator.

Also your eggs look almost buried in vermiculte, I would think they are getting too wet and the temps are probably all over the place.

I ahve used a hovabator once for beardie eggs(and will never do it again) but would never use one for BP eggs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hellix2494

Ok I will check that when i get home today.

what about the discoloration of the eggs??

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Eggs can discolor from water, mold or decompisition

OK

I have a stand up freezer (like a coke cooler) that I need to get some flexwatt for and set up as an incubator. I could fit like 10+ clutches in it. and I will have a seperate thermostat for it.

I will order my flexwatt for it today and try to get it set up this weekend.

what thermostat would you reccomend. I have both a Ranco and a Helix - one for each of my racks.

I like the Helix best myself.

you mentioned something about the eggs being white when they were on peralite. did you originally start off with peralite and then switch to vermiculite in the middle of the incubation process??

The first one pictured are all toast (dead). The second ones pictured only the top 2 eggs look good.

Too me they look too dry as the eggs are collapsing. Green mold and very full eggs usually means too wet. The eggs shouldn't collapse at all if they are under 35 days.

Your temps could be a problem as well. Huge spikes either way will kill the eggs. Prolong temps over 95F or under 85F will kill the eggs. Temps over 100F kill the eggs right away.

Set up a more stable incubator and hope for better results with your next clutches.

I use vermiculite for all my clutches.

Corey

What do they smell like? Do they have mold growing on them?

If they are bad they should smell bad, i.e. moldy, rotten.
Good eggs smell like good dirt a nice earthy smell.

If you get a new incubator set up I would switch the whole egg container into the new incubator. I would not switch out the medium. If they are to wet crack the lid to your egg container and let a little of the water evaporate.

If they were mine I would check the wetness of the vermiculite, change them to a more stable incubator and go ahead and let them incubate for the recommended 60 days. That way you give them every chance to hatch.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

When mixed right, the vermiculite will seem "too dry" to most people. A 1 to 1 ratio of vermic and water by weight is fine. Also, burying the eggs too far like yours are, magnify errors in the moisture content. Covering 1/3 of the egg is plenty. Using a hovabator will also magnify your issues. Like someone else said, a simple foam cooler, flexwatt, a proportional stat, and an open water dish at the bottom will help you out. Personally, if those were my eggs.....I'd take them out and put them in a drier medium and in a more stable bator. It may be too late for any of them though.

Yeah I think the only egg that is still good is the top eggnow. I went back and checked my substrate and it was too wet.

I have ordered what i need to set up my new incubator and should have that up and running for the remaining egg that is good and for my last clutch *crosses fingers*.

I do thank you all for your help and hope to be hatching many helthy snakes in the future. :)

when only having a couple of clutches why not just get hatchrite? cant go wrong with it.