WORST egg cutting ever and baby survived?

So, I need horror stories to make me feel better..

I've never been super skilled at cutting eggs.

So, I need to know, what is the worst egg you have cut open and had the babies survive?

u have a pic?...i have found easist way is pinching the loose flap on the top away from baby and making the slice there..

I will show you in 15 days LOL

I hit a vein on my spider clutch earlier this year, the whole top of the snake couldn't be seen thru the blood, it was the first one to come out of the egg. Does that help any. They were at like day 54 when I cut.

I'm not a great egg cutter either, Heather! Let's just say I don't think I would have made a good surgeon! I cut veins all the time. Haven't killed any babies yet!

This was my first time cutting and in ths egg I cut veins you can see the blood. This was one of the Super Pastels in this clutch but I wasn't sure becasue the blood won't let me see clear and of course it was my first time seeing a Super. He survive and was the last one to come out of the egg, not to mention I was very worried about him. :snake:

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...l/DSCF2071.jpg

Hope this help!!

What are you (anyone responding) using to cut with? I have a pair of surgical scissors that Kara gave Deb and I last year that I'm using. Little tiny things.

Here's how I cut my eggs. I first candle to look for the really big veins to try to miss nicking them. Then I pinch a crease at the top of the egg, cut a tiny "v" at one end of the egg (1/8" to 1/4" in size).

Here's where I know that I vary from others, but was shown this by someone that I trust implicitly and it's served me well so far. At this point, I gently squeeze the egg over a trash can to let some of the "egg white" (for lack of a better description) drain away, so that the egg is less messy with goop pouring out the sides of the cut egg. Most egg cut pictures, you will see the fluid overflowing the cut egg and out the sides, so I'm basically getting rid of that excess before I cut any further.

At that point, I gently continue to make that small "v" into a larger, wider "V", so that the egg has a flap. My V shaped flap is about 1/2 the length of the egg.

I then mist the eggs daily until the babies hatch.

So, I haven't actually had a worst cutting experience - YET! LOL

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Originally Posted by rabernet

What are you (anyone responding) using to cut with? I have a pair of surgical scissors that Kara gave Deb and I last year that I'm using. Little tiny things.

Here's how I cut my eggs. I first candle to look for the really big veins to try to miss nicking them. Then I pinch a crease at the top of the egg, cut a tiny "v" at one end of the egg (1/8" to 1/4" in size).

Here's where I know that I vary from others, but was shown this by someone that I trust implicitly and it's served me well so far. At this point, I gently squeeze the egg over a trash can to let some of the "egg white" (for lack of a better description) drain away, so that the egg is less messy with goop pouring out the sides of the cut egg. Most egg cut pictures, you will see the fluid overflowing the cut egg and out the sides, so I'm basically getting rid of that excess before I cut any further.

At that point, I gently continue to make that small "v" into a larger, wider "V", so that the egg has a flap. My V shaped flap is about 1/2 the length of the egg.

I then mist the eggs daily until the babies hatch.

So, I haven't actually had a worst cutting experience - YET! LOL

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I use blunt ended cuticle scissors. I don't candle ever so you lost me there. :O :D

This is essentially what I use. I'd have to ask Kara the exact ones that they order, but it looks like these:

http://tinyurl.com/mbhfa2

I candled the eggs to look for larger veins. Used a razor blade with most of it wrapped in a think layer of electrical tape. The only exposed part of the blade was almost the same size as the thickness of the egg. I pinched a portion of the egg and made the cut. After the initial cut and seeing exactly where the baby was I used very small scissors to cut the "V" shape.
Of course I have the very limited experience of only cutting one clutch. I did clip some veins, but didn't have any issues.

i just use a regular pair of scissors. i havent had a mishap yet

heather i cut a couple of eggs that had been with the female for a few weeks before i put them in the incubator. when i cut the first pewter at about 50-52 days it looked like a ball of sunshine with a little grey worm around the yolk. 21 days later after topping off the lost embrionic fluid with iv saline twice daily the pewters hatched perfectly. while a huge error i was able to observe the baby growing for the last 3 weeks of its development. it was a horrible mistake to make, but getting to see the process of the snake developing was incredible. i think the total days from the time she layed until the entire clutch had come out healthy was 70-73 days on pins and needles.
howard

i will have to look back through memory cards and see if i can find photos.

Last year I was super careful, and used tiny scissors. But this year I just use a razor and lop off the entire top half of the eggs, being just careful enough that I don't scalp the snakes inside. I haven't had any problems yet.

I use VERY sharp surgical scissors. The trick to to make a tiny V then place the sharp tip of the scissor against the top wall and slide it inward. Basically I am pushing the veins away from the top of the egg and ensure that they don't get cut....

That make sense?

I've had some very messy cutting in the past, but have not yet lost a baby as a result.

Justin

I use these bad boys....

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...tL._SS500_.jpg

My wife hides the big people scissors from me. :)

Seriously tho...I have had eggs where I hit veins and could have sworn I drowned the hatchlings in their own blood. But they always seem to do fine and I have never lost one.

Trey Barnard taught me how to cut eggs and we did it with surgical sissors. Pinched a VERY small peice of the egg (They were already heavily dimpled) and make a very small cut, then use that pilot hole to cut a triangle shape window.

I've only cut eggs that were 52 Days or older though. But from my understanding you shouldn't cut them younger than that anyway.

I use these...

http://www.sublimestitching.com/file...k_SCISSORS.jpg

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Originally Posted by mooingtricycle

I use these...

http://www.sublimestitching.com/file...k_SCISSORS.jpg

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Now that's a hot pair of scissors! lol

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Originally Posted by waltah!

Now that's a hot pair of scissors! lol

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lol!

They are super sharp, but i like them because they are TINY and i can make a very teeny prick in the shell, then use the tip of one and start cutting. No pinching needed!

if you really want to get good cut corn snake eggs........talk about tough since their so small compared to ball eggs......anyways I think the blood issue is very overrated.....main concerns are snake drowning in egg and infecion..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jkobylka

I use VERY sharp surgical scissors. The trick to to make a tiny V then place the sharp tip of the scissor against the top wall and slide it inward. Basically I am pushing the veins away from the top of the egg and ensure that they don't get cut....

That make sense?

I've had some very messy cutting in the past, but have not yet lost a baby as a result.

Justin

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This is exactly what I did this year. I used a very fine pointed pair of surgical type scissors. I first candled the egg and marked a location w/o any veins. I then did it exactly as Justin described w/o any problems.

Last year I used a razor blade, and it didn't make as smooth of cuts and I ended up nicking several veins. They all survived just fine and were nice healthy hatchlings, but a couple of them got very messy/bloody.

The surgical scissor method is tops IMO.

Yeah I didnt hit any veins I just put the tiniest little knicks in my eggs then gave up because I was too scared. Then they all pipped the next day anyways lol. I am sure your little one will be ok Heather. :gj::gj:

Here is how my spider clutch looked after I cut them with a razor blade. I wait until at least one snake has pipped, then the tops come off. This pic is on day 53. As you can see, as long as you wait long enough, there isn't much to worry about. Had I done this on day 45 I would probably be in trouble.

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...36425b1727.jpg

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Originally Posted by PythonWallace

Here is how my spider clutch looked after I cut them with a razor blade. I wait until at least one snake has pipped, then the tops come off. This pic is on day 53. As you can see, as long as you wait long enough, there isn't much to worry about. Had I done this on day 45 I would probably be in trouble.

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...36425b1727.jpg

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I got a question, and please, I'm not trying to lay blame with anyone or say that one way is better than another. When I cut eggs though. I just make that, a cut. I don't bother cutting the whole top off, or a V, or anything like that. I just cut a line. Its worked every time for me, all of my hatchlings have always come out of the line. IMO, I just don't think you need to remove that much egg for them to come out/help them absorb the yoke/whatever. If you like your method though, keep it up, I'm just making a observation.

Most of us cut to see what is in the egg. At least a flap I needed for that.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Most of us cut to see what is in the egg. At least a flap I needed for that.

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Yup! Hey, we never said we were patient;)

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Most of us cut to see what is in the egg. At least a flap I needed for that.

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..... Oh ya thats the other reason to cut. :D I knew I was forgeting something..... Looks like I need some more coffee. :P

If you are not sure or don't trust yourself why are you cutting ?

If you think, it's gonna be worst for the snake. Better not cut. Actually cutting is not necessary. It's mostly impatiance. Sometimes you can save a baby that have it's ombilical cord around it's neck or something. I talked to some breeders, and not all of them cut. Some are totally against it too.