Day 60 with no signs of leaving the eggs...

[redshepherd]

So it is day 60... One of the eggs had rotted a few weeks ago and grew a lot of mold, which spread to two other eggs (that were likely already unhealthy) and seems to possibly have killed them, because they changed color and most of the veins disappeared... Two other eggs are still white with strong veins, but there's no signs of them leaving the eggs. I've already cut a small triangle flap.

They were incubated at a bad temp range for the first half of incubation, between 87-89. (It's a long story...)

About 3 weeks ago, I finally put them in an incubator that actually works properly and so they were incubated at exactly 88 for the remaining incubation period until now.

Anything I should do? What day should I wait until I do anything?

[dr del]

Hi,

Since you have already cut them and know the temps were a bit off I would continue making sure nothing nasty starts growing in the egg white and that the eggs don't become dehydrated. Lower temps definitely mean longer incubation times and at 60 days I wouldn't be excessively worried.

[redshepherd]

Hi,

Since you have already cut them and know the temps were a bit off I would continue making sure nothing nasty starts growing in the egg white and that the eggs don't become dehydrated. Lower temps definitely mean longer incubation times and at 60 days I wouldn't be excessively worried.

Thanks, approximately how many days should I expect with incubation at the lower temp?

I should mention that some brown mold has already begun growing on the triangle flap, but not inside the eggs. I assume it quickly spread from the two eggs that were already moldy.

[dr del]

Hmm,

I'm not sure what to recommend in the US for fungus growth on eggs ( though part of me remembers someone saying mysil? ) I use something called gentian violet but I'm not sure you can buy it anymore.

ETA: not sure on the extra time - look for the eggs becoming easy to separate if stuck together, the skin colour coming in fully or the snakes positioning themselves head upwards.

[rlditmars]

Thanks, approximately how many days should I expect with incubation at the lower temp?

I should mention that some brown mold has already begun growing on the triangle flap, but not inside the eggs. I assume it quickly spread from the two eggs that were already moldy.

I typically incubate at around 87.5 and see the first pip around day 63. At this point you may be able to separate the moldy eggs out as they shouldn't really be sticking together that hard any more. The less exposure the better.

[redshepherd]

I typically incubate at around 87.5 and see the first pip around day 63. At this point you may be able to separate the moldy eggs out as they shouldn't really be sticking together that hard any more. The less exposure the better.

Thanks, just separated them and they were indeed dead... But with basically fully formed hatchlings inside. That's so disappointing... The eggs were very hard to separate though, which doesn't seem normal either.

But the two that are white should still be alive. Now to hope they aren't deformed lol.

[redshepherd]

Well the healthiest egg "pipped" today on day 61, nose poking out! No signs of the 2nd egg pipping yet though hopefully it happens tomorrow. Thought I'd update for anyone reading this in the future.

I can't believe I waited 60 days for two ball python hatchlings LOL. Now I realized a reason why people have multiple clutches at once, so if something goes wrong with one clutch/some hatchlings turn out dead, you still have a bunch more. Not just left with two hatchlings like me. Lol

[Bogertophis]

Well the healthiest egg "pipped" today on day 61, nose poking out! No signs of the 2nd egg pipping yet though hopefully it happens tomorrow. Thought I'd update for anyone reading this in the future.

I can't believe I waited 60 days for two ball python hatchlings LOL. Now I realized a reason why people have multiple clutches at once, so if something goes wrong with one clutch/some hatchlings turn out dead, you still have a bunch more. Not just left with two hatchlings like me. Lol

Careful what you wish for, you could be inundated with beeps! The joy of all those hatchlings is soon matched with the efforts to raise them & find them good homes.
Anyway, congrats on the first one, and here's hope for the next one too.

[redshepherd]

Careful what you wish for, you could be inundated with beeps! The joy of all those hatchlings is soon matched with the efforts to raise them & find them good homes.
Anyway, congrats on the first one, and here's hope for the next one too.

thanks! Alas I'm no longer breeding ball pythons now since I only have one incubator- I'm breeding my yellowtail cribos this fall now, jumping straight into that LOL.