Good reading material?

[OzarkMountainBalls]

Hello again!

I was wondering if anyone knew of some good books on the care of eggs and hatchlings. I have been pouring over the net and have found alot of good info right here. I am looking for specifics on hatchling care and husbandry. I want to get into hobby breeding but i want to be as knowledgable as i can before i take on such a project!

Thanks again,
Bill

[Dave Green]

Bill, VPI's book is awesome and McCurley's book is a good one as well.

[West Coast Jungle]

Bill, VPI's book is awesome and McCurley's book is a good one as well.

Thats what I would say

[WingedWolfPsion]

"Incubation of Reptile Eggs" by Gunther Kohler

This book stops right after hatching is complete--no information on hatchling care.

However, it will tell you everything you could want to know about reptile eggs, and has an index of incubation data for a HUGE number of species (temperatures, humidity, time frames, temp-sexing, etc).

This is a really accessible but professional book that I think any herpetoculturist working with multiple species should have on the shelf (right next to "Understanding Reptile Parasites").

If you're looking for JUST ball python information, the McCurley book is good. I can sum up caring for hatchlings in one paragraph here, though:

Give them tight fitting hides, keep them in small bins, keep the temperatures high, and wait 1 week after they shed before you offer food. Before the first shed, make sure you keep that humidity high, up at 80% or more. Offer live rat pups first. If those don't work, wait 3 days, offer again. Try at least 3 times with rat pups, then try hopper mice. Don't start to worry until 3 weeks past first shed, then you can consider things like filling the bin with crumpled paper and feeding late at night, using a fuzzy mouse, or even assist-feeding if all else fails. 96% of the time assist-feeding won't be necessary, but when it is, it almost always works. Once they're eating regularly, it's simple. Care is just like the adults, but remember that their tolerance for environmental variation is lower--keep temperatures and humidity stable and correct, and keep them eating regularly.

[Turbo Serpent]

If you're looking for JUST ball python information, the McCurley book is good. I can sum up caring for hatchlings in one paragraph here, though:

Give them tight fitting hides, keep them in small bins, keep the temperatures high, and wait 1 week after they shed before you offer food. Before the first shed, make sure you keep that humidity high, up at 80% or more. Offer live rat pups first. If those don't work, wait 3 days, offer again. Try at least 3 times with rat pups, then try hopper mice. Don't start to worry until 3 weeks past first shed, then you can consider things like filling the bin with crumpled paper and feeding late at night, using a fuzzy mouse, or even assist-feeding if all else fails. 96% of the time assist-feeding won't be necessary, but when it is, it almost always works. Once they're eating regularly, it's simple. Care is just like the adults, but remember that their tolerance for environmental variation is lower--keep temperatures and humidity stable and correct, and keep them eating regularly.

Couldn't have put this better myself.

I own the Kevin McCurley's book and it has a lot of info from basic husbandry to genetics.