Ball python eggs

[Rightur8]

My Python had 5 eggs. This is day 3. They are starting to collapse already. I'm a beginner. I only had 1 time with eggs that went to term but the snakes died before they hatched. I'm not a breeder but have 3 snakes and 2 cages so there ya go. I have a small incubator that I think is for chickens the eggs are in as my house is dry and the cages are too big to regulate humidity for maternal incubation. Is it early for them to collapse?

[WmHrbst]

Yes. What temperature are you incubating at and humidity?

[Rightur8]

90 degrees and humidity looks to be at 60. I know that's low and I don't trust the reader because there is condensation on the windows and I mixed the vermiculite on the heavier side with water and that's not dried up because it's only been 2 days. I don't know what else to do to bring it up

[bcr229]

Temp too high, humidity too low. Slowly drop the temp over several days to 88*F (like 1/2 degree a day), sudden changes and spikes cause problems like kinking.

What kind of hygrometer are you using?

[Rightur8]

It says Exo Terra. Temp does read 88. Was 90 but I tweaked it earlier today and it is lower now. It's not digital so I have to be careful

[bcr229]

Sorry, I meant digital or analog hygrometer? The analog gauges can be wildly in accurate.

[Rightur8]

It's just a sticky round one to stick on a cage wall. Not digital

[MarkS]

Do you have the eggs inside any kind of container or just in the incubator?

[The Iron Python]

Eggs should be in a little bin and the inside of that bin should be near 100%.

Right now your eggs are drying out.

Are they in a bin? If so, what is the set up in that bin? (Vermiculite/pearlite with light defuser).

You our should be able to save them if you get the RH% way up.

A picture is worth a thousand words......can we see?

[Tcarver]

I had the same thing happen to me last year using a Hovabator. I believe the heating element is to close to the egg container. I removed the wire rack and filled the water tray full of water. For the egg container, I cut a very small air hole in the container. I cut 4 pieces of PVC pipe to support a piece of light diffuser panel above the vermiculite. The diffuser panel looks like plastic grating. I saturated the vermiculite so water was just a little above the vermiculite. The diffuser panel should be slightly above the media so when the eggs are placed on top of the diffuser panel they don't come into contact with the water or media. I place press and seal on the top and close the lid. I make sure to keep water in the incubators water tray as it dissipates. I had several eggs that appeared to be deflated to a point I thought they wouldn't hatch, but they all did. I kept the incubator temp at 89 F. This year I built a large incubator to resolve the issue. Good luck!