Should I separate bad eggs?

[Kerol]

Hi! This is my first clutch! The clutch is laid 13 days ago. It was 3 good eggs and 4 bad. Unfortunately I was not able to separate 2 of the bad ones. They are looking worse and worse every day. What can I do at this point? Throw some anti-mycotic powder over it, or try to separate them again? My plan is, anyhow, to heat up the room first nearly to incubator temperature, not to harm the good eggs. Maybe silver-ions to the wet perlit can help? Can they go in these circumstances full-term?

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[Bogertophis]

I've never tried anti-fungal powder on eggs but I did see that mentioned by someone else here.

Personally, I've always separated my eggs from the start: it's tricky & time consuming*, but in the long run, like right now when some go bad, it's a real blessing, since you can easily toss the bad.

When eggs are freshly laid is the time to do it- they must stay in their original orientation, & not be turned, but I've found that by using just a few drips of water on the attachment points, then gently, carefully & SLOWLY rock them back & forth until they release, my eggs have never been damaged & hatch rate was always good. Just FYI. If you're not patient, don't bother trying it.

I've heard it said that bad eggs won't make good ones go bad, but I'm not sure I believe that. Plus, you can get flies drawn in by the bad eggs, & then there's the "aroma" too.

Congratulations, btw, on your first clutch!

[Kerol]

T

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[Bogertophis]

T

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I think something got lost in translation?

[Kerol]

Sorry , I tried to upload a pic, but couldn't figure it out.

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[Bogertophis]

The hardest ones to separate are when there's a whole clump stuck together- where it's hard to even count the eggs. Looks like these are mostly 2 or 3 together? And pretty "level"? so you still "might" be able to separate them as I described, but I've never done it this late, so I can't say how stuck they'll be. You might not be able to separate them, but personally (& because I've done it before so I'm comfortable with my method & the outcome) I'd probably at least try.

If you try a drip of water on the contact point between any 2 of them, you'll know pretty soon if it's going to work or not. As I described previously- I just roll them (holding one w/ left hand & one with right) slightly toward & then slightly away- if you see the contact point start to release with a drop or 2 of water, that's your cue to keep going. If not- oh well. I think many if not most ppl would just leave them be now & take their chances, but it's really up to you. Make sure you don't use too much water- only a drip at a time- since coating the eggs can "drown" them.

[Albert Clark]

I truly wouldn’t worry about the bad eggs at this point. The risk of harming the good eggs outweighs trying to separate them now. They may just be slugs and not really have any fungus on them. Yes, definitely keep them in the orientation they were laid. Great advice Bog! They’re already laid and the good eggs have a innate ability to ward off most ill effects from the attached bad eggs. Don’t worry about those bad eggs once again. Concentrate on your temperatures and humidity levels is the way to go at this point. Congrats on your first clutch success. Very nice job you did setting the eggs up also.

[nikkubus]

Truth be told, whatever mold is on the bad ones is going to spread to the good ones even more if you really get in there and disrupt them. Next clutch if you separate right away, if one goes back you can pull it quick and won't have that issue. If you are set on trying to separate them, I'd wrap the bad ones with a damp paper towel to sort of shield most of the mold from getting stirred up while you are working on them, and work on them outside the tub so mold doesn't get all over the substrate.

[Bogertophis]

Truth be told, whatever mold is on the bad ones is going to spread to the good ones even more if you really get in there and disrupt them. Next clutch if you separate right away, if one goes back you can pull it quick and won't have that issue. If you are set on trying to separate them, I'd wrap the bad ones with a damp paper towel to sort of shield most of the mold from getting stirred up while you are working on them, and work on them outside the tub so mold doesn't get all over the substrate.

That's a real good idea, to wrap the moldy one with a damp paper towel if you try to separate them, etc.

[Kerol]

I think it's not molding yet, just simply rotting from inside. Maybe it can be enough to thro some anti-fungus powder on it?

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