Maternal Incubation Vs. Incubator. Your Views?

[xXxFluffyEmoxXx]

What are your views? Would you consider switching over to see the results? Have you dont both and are you continuing to do both? Would you say It's fine to do either or? As my first clutch, Im considering doing maternal incubation. What would be needed for it and what are the chances of the hatchlings coming out exactly the same way they would in the incubator? Let me know your views and opinions please.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Both can been done, you just have a better control when using an incubator, also I personally rather put my female back on feed soon as possible rather then have to wait an additional 60 days.

To me it is a personal preference after you see a female right after she played her eggs you will understand why I chose artificial incubation.

[Muze]

I agree. They are so underweight & mine were all starving after they laid their clutches & I cleaned up. They all ate w/i a week. I can't imagine not feeding them for an additional 50+ days. According to the Barkers, females in the wild sometimes leave their eggs to go feed, but I don't know if a snake in captivity would feed while incubating.

[mainbutter]

I'm considering MI if I breed my carpet python. We'll see though, I have quite a while before I have to make that decision.

[xXxFluffyEmoxXx]

I agree. They are so underweight & mine were all starving after they laid their clutches & I cleaned up. They all ate w/i a week. I can't imagine not feeding them for an additional 50+ days. According to the Barkers, females in the wild sometimes leave their eggs to go feed, but I don't know if a snake in captivity would feed while incubating.

If i do MI would I be able to offer food? And if i do, What are the chances she eats it? So in the wild they will eat, So If they eat in the wild and are ok.. Will she eat and if so will she still stay wrapped around the eggs? I know its a high chance she wont eat.. but if she does.. will she still protect the eggs? & When they begin to pip do i remove mom or leave her in there the entire process?

[elevatethis]

I can imagine that if you tried to feed a mother during maternal incubation - you'd also be dealing with the mom having bowel movements. To me the only thing worse than eggs being saturated with water would eggs being saturated with urine. Then what? You have to remove the eggs to clean the cage, and reset everything again?

Maternal incubation in captivity just seems unnecessary to me.

[xXxFluffyEmoxXx]

I can imagine that if you tried to feed a mother during maternal incubation - you'd also be dealing with the mom having bowel movements. To me the only thing worse than eggs being saturated with water would eggs being saturated with urine. Then what? You have to remove the eggs to clean the cage, and reset everything again?

Maternal incubation in captivity just seems unnecessary to me.

ur lazy lol . I wouldnt mind hcanging everythin and taking a nice bite for the team

[muddoc]

I can imagine that if you tried to feed a mother during maternal incubation - you'd also be dealing with the mom having bowel movements. To me the only thing worse than eggs being saturated with water would eggs being saturated with urine. Then what? You have to remove the eggs to clean the cage, and reset everything again?

Maternal incubation in captivity just seems unnecessary to me.

Be careful with all that cleaning. Female snakes that are incubating eggs, will sometimes pass fluid into their coils to help raise the humidity if it starts t get too low. These animals have over time (i.e. millions of years) become very adept at altering humidity and temperature. You will see them tighten their coils, and sometimes loosen there coild in an attempt to regulate temps as well.

Hope that helps,

[Muze]

I can imagine that if you tried to feed a mother during maternal incubation - you'd also be dealing with the mom having bowel movements. To me the only thing worse than eggs being saturated with water would eggs being saturated with urine. Then what? You have to remove the eggs to clean the cage, and reset everything again?

Maternal incubation in captivity just seems unnecessary to me.

Good point. The clutch could be ruined.

[Muze]

If i do MI would I be able to offer food? And if i do, What are the chances she eats it? So in the wild they will eat, So If they eat in the wild and are ok.. Will she eat and if so will she still stay wrapped around the eggs? I know its a high chance she wont eat.. but if she does.. will she still protect the eggs? & When they begin to pip do i remove mom or leave her in there the entire process?

Honestly, I do not know of anyone feeding their females while MI. I'm not saying it hasn't been done, but I don't know about it.

As for when to remove the female, I know there are older threads on here about MI which I think go into detail about all that (except feeding while incubating).