How soon do you separate?

So my new rack is taking a long while to come in. I had it ordered three weeks before christmas but with the influx of orders for that time of the year I am not surprised. My clutch of 5 has already shed out and currently (although I would like them to be in my new rack) they are still in my incubator. I was planning on trying to get a small baby rack either at the show this weekend or locally (been looking for a few weeks). How long would they be ok if I was unable to get them a new rack. I want to start feeding them and that should start in the next 4-5 days. I probably have enough room for them all to have their own tub in my incubator as well if that's the way I should go for now. I should have been more prepared but I thought I would have the new rack by now.

Some breeders separate as soon as they pip, others as late as when they have all shed out. They should definitely all be separated for feeding.

Soon as they shed which is the time their first meal is offered.

I have done it both ways, separate as they pip and after first shed. Personally I like to get them in their own tub as soon as possible. This is for my own sanity and is especially helpful when you have a clutch of look alikes. For example, i paired a super pastel with a Hypo and all 10 eggs hatched. They all looked very similar and I wanted to keep the sexes straight. I have the room, it is less hassle. I would get them out of the incubator after first shed though as they need the air circulation at the very least.

I have done both, for me I take them out of the incubator once they have hatched and into the "clutch" tub which is nice wet and damp. I sex when they go into the clutch/shed tub if I want to know a certain animal sex right away.
Then once they shed out they go into their own tub, sex them while they go in, label the tub, update the lists and within 3~ days I do my first feeding attempt. It works for me :)

I appreciate all the feedback. I do have them in separate tubs now but still in the incubator. I don't know if this is a national issue but one vendor said they may not have any racks or very few due to supply of heat tape and the one that I ordered back toward the start of December is still about two month from being fulfilled. I wanted to have a rack for these little one but three of them have eaten their first meal and I am trying the other two tonight. All are in individual tubs and in the incubator without a heat gradient. I can only hope I go to repticon and they have a baby rack available.

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Originally Posted by Matt850

I appreciate all the feedback. I do have them in separate tubs now but still in the incubator. I don't know if this is a national issue but one vendor said they may not have any racks or very few due to supply of heat tape and the one that I ordered back toward the start of December is still about two month from being fulfilled. I wanted to have a rack for these little one but three of them have eaten their first meal and I am trying the other two tonight. All are in individual tubs and in the incubator without a heat gradient. I can only hope I go to repticon and they have a baby rack available.

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What you could do is make a temporary rack... out of wood/melanin or something with heat cable/mats.

Luckily they had a rack! I bought the last they had in stock. It is a 12 slot baby rack so i have a little room for expansion, yay. Thanks for all the input.

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Originally Posted by Matt850

Luckily they had a rack! I bought the last they had in stock. It is a 12 slot baby rack so i have a little room for expansion, yay. Thanks for all the input.

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Good to hear! good luck with your little buddies! :)