Well. She laid eggs.

[Leda]

As in my previous posts, I wasn't too sure if my female ball python was even pregnant to begin with. Her symptoms were few, and far between. After awhile, I figured she wasn't pregnant. Until...I tried feeding her, she refused, twice. And we've always said "If Frodo doesn't eat, there's got to be something going on" - She'd probably eat a hot dog if you tossed it in there.

So we tried feeling her belly, to see if we noticed anything out of the ordinary. She was too tense to really feel anything, and even when she was just in the tank crawling around, there wasn't an actual difference.

She had "the glow" for awhile. Then a couple months later, when she'd coil up in her hide, you'd be able to see her belly sticking up just a little bit. But she didn't have any other signs, and wasn't drastically laying inverted, or seeking the coolest part of the tank. The pre-lay shed timing was off. So we figured she wasn't pregnant, and were about to schedule an appointment at the vet to see why she was not eating.

While in our living room this morning, we were just relaxing, watching TV. I walked past the snakes tank to grab something real quick, and noticed Frodo curled up around an egg, about to lay more.

From previously thinking she was pregnant, we had about half of the supplies to create our incubator. So we were set, a little bit. We had to rush into town to buy some other supplies, but we were good. We got everything set up and it's going nicely.

This is our first incubation process, and this is Frodo's first clutch of eggs.

6 of them to be exact.

We've read to keep the temperature in the incubator at a constant 88-90 degrees. We've only been to achieve 86 degrees. Then again, considering it's summer, and that room is on the highest level, I am assuming the temperatures will be able to rise beyond what the heater can provide, during the day time.

Though, is this an issue? (the two degree difference) Any advice would be appreciated.

[pavlovk1025]

I've read 86-90 is a good range to have it in. You should be fine. Congrats!!

[XGetSome]

First off Congratulations. I was reading some other thread about Frodo from you...so I am very happy for you.
Second....can you please tell us how you made the incubator? I would definately worry that the temps max out at 86, It may even drop lower in a cold front. Even if 88 was all you could achieve I would worry. IF it maintains 86 you MIGHT get lucky. I have always wanted to see tests on what results people get from different temperatures.

Details of how you made the incubator would help greatly, so we could help you IMPROVE it.

Good Luck!! And Congratulations!!!

[Leda]

It's stable and maintained at 86 degrees. Though we set it up at night, so I feel that in the day time it'll of course rise. (it's only been set up for about 10 hours +, of course, so it may eventually just rise at what it can)

The incubator itself is a 10 gallon tank, with 4 inches of water in it, and 4 pieces of PVC pipe in the corners to hold up a grate that supports the container in which the vermiculite and eggs are inside of. There's a water heater below the grate which is set at 89 degrees which is giving us an over all temperature reading inside the tank, of 86 degrees.

A question though, how often will the vermiculite dry out? And what is a good method to add more water in? (What I mean is, do you just pour a little water in the corners?)

[XGetSome]

If temps become an issue, go to home depot and buy some stryofoam, and cover the walls outside your aquarium, will work wonders.

Also your best bet is get a accurite or temp/hygro meter and just maintain the highest humidity possible, without allowing water to drip on the eggs. If your losing too much humidity, your box isnt sealed well. Or your opening too much. I'm thinking since your using water as a media, your humidty will be pretty good. Watch your eggs for wrinkiling(lack of humidity). Or lil clear windows, dots, etc.(too much droplets hittin the eggs).

Good Luck Leda

[Leda]

How often should we be opening to check whether there's wrinkling or droplets hitting the eggs? How do we know the humidity isn't too high or too low?

Would it be safe to say that if we maintain a constant temperature of 86 degrees, with the styrofoam ontop of, and around the tank, that there wouldn't be too much dripping on the eggs? Is there an amount of drippage that is safe? :/ You have me worried now about this drippage. Of course it's going to build up inside the box, right? I mean it will get humid in there. Yes?

Give me some tips to play it safe.

Also, about the vermiculite, how often should it be re-wetted? And what method do I use do approach that?

[XGetSome]

Credit to Heather from HeathersHerps, LadyOhh

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71770

That link has a ton of useful info.

[Leda]

Over night, I got some dripping on one egg, from the condensation in the box. To prevent the dripping from going onto the eggs, I propped up one end of the egg box, so that way if anything does drip, it will not hit the eggs.

But from the dripping that occurred onto that one egg over night, is the egg okay?

[LadyOhh]

Don't prop the eggs

Just put a papertowel over the egg for now, wipe off the condensation, and see if you can lower your humidity a tad.

Propping the eggs will misalign them, and may kill them if they are already attached to their bubble.

[Leda]

We didn't prop the egg. We put a soda bottle cap under one side of the egg box, to tilt it slightly, so the condensation will just miss the one egg it was hitting. It's not a drastic prop at all.

- Should we put a paper towel over the entire clutch, or just that egg?

- Also, since it's a water incubator, the only way to control the humidity is through the lid, should we crack it open a little?


Thankyou!