On the ground and off running!

[muddoc]

Our first clutch of the season has finally hatched. After seeing all these other clutches, the anticipation was killing me. These snakes actually hatched while we were on vacation in Disney World. The first Spider hatched last Sunday morning before we left, so I had to spend the whole week with Mickey knowing that my clutch was hatched in their box in the incubator. I have included a pick I took when they started pipping as well, since I know everyone likes pipping pictures.

On a side note, I wanted to share a little story about this clutch, because I know this question always comes up alot. People always ask what is a safe day to cut eggs on. Well, I set up my dates for candling, cutting and hatching when the clutch is laid. We cut our eggs on day 52, so when day 52 came, we cut the eggs. I normally see heads by day 56 or 57. When day 58 came and went, and I had not seen a head yet, I poked all of the hatchlings to make sure they were still alive. Everybody seemedfine. So I went back to the calendar, and realized I had miscalculated, and we really cut the eggs on day 45. Obviously from the pictures, all of the hatchlings are doing fine. I will not say that it is safe or recommended to cut eggs that early, but we dii accidentally and all of the hatchlings were just fine.

p.s. the clutch picture is of the hatchlings right after their first shed.

[NickMyers03]

awesome clutch and awesome odds
congrats man

[PythonWallace]

Congrats Tim. I know what you mean about seeing all the babies hatching already. I just started getting eggs 3 weeks ago.

[muddoc]

Thanks guys. I am as eggcited as anyone.

[panthercz]

Super cool! Those little spiders look fantastic!

[munding]

wow! 5 spiders!! congratulations!!

[rabernet]

So they did just fine in the incubator for the week then? Did you have air holes in the egg box?

[spix14]

I like that little on with the light stripe down his back! Congrats!

[JLC]

What a gorgeous clutch, Tim! Congrats!!

[muddoc]

Thanks everybody. There is a male with a very interesting looking head, and his black eye stripe connects to his mustache. I guess they are sideburns.

Robin, this clutch did experience the temp drop fro loss of power, and look just fine. I have my next clutch cut already, and they are fine as well. The 3rd and 4th clutch, I have candled, and they are moving and developing fine, so I guess the temp drop from our loss of power did not affect the eggs. As for them being in the box for a week, there were no air holes, and they were all curled up in a corner. I did put a water bowl in the egg box before we left, so that they could get water if need be.