Quote Originally Posted by anatess View Post
Tempest, sorry to be hijacking your thread a bit, but I was wondering what I should do when my pastel eggs pip. They are in a small box with mama which is in a bigger plastic container. So, in the small box, there's hardly any room for eggs and mama, no more than an inch on each of the 2 sides and about 3 inches on each of the other 2 sides (the box is rectangular). The mama can get out of the box anytime (she usually gets her body halfway out to drink) but I'm not sure if babies would know to get out. So, when the eggs pip, when do I take the mom away from the eggs? I'm just wondering if the way I got mine set up if the babies would get crushed under her!
I don't mind at all.

Last year I kept my ball in a 40g breeder tank and gave her a 31qt tub to use as a lay box. I cut a hole in the top so she could come and go as she pleased.



When the eggs started pipping and babies started leaving the eggs, they just cruised around the lay box. One or two of them did find the hole in the lid and were roaming about in the main tank. I was worried about the mom squishing babies that were still in their eggs but kept a close eye on them. She never squished any of the babies though I can see how it could be possible. As they left their eggs, I just moved them to their own tubs and tossed the empty eggs. The mom left the box a few times to drink and once to eat but otherwise stayed with them while they hatched out and while they were exploring the laybox. I think watching her with her newly hatched babies was the best part of the whole process even if it was short lived.