What can i do now with these eggs!?

[darkolako]

Ok ill try to make the story short i need help I have 2 ball pythons for almost a year now i bought them as a couple but I wasn't sure which one was which, this site has been my bible for general information about balls and its where i learned most, about temperatures and housing.

I had them separated but around june when i was looking for a new home i had to stay on a friend house for a couple of days (5) and took the snakes with me and left them both in the same tub, the other one is usually in a 55gallon which i couldn't take with me.

once in my new home they always been separated only those days when I was on friends house.

Today i got curious because I noticed i haven't seen the one on the 55g in a couple days like 2 or 3, she usually roams around especially at night normal behavior, so I grab her hide and to my surprise there were 6 perfect looking eggs under her! now i have little clue what to do with them.

so here are my questions!

1. Will it be ok to leave the eggs to naturally hatch under her? and do i have to make any changes on temperatures or humidity during the process? or do i need to get a incubator asap, i really dont want them to die.

2. if i need an incubator is there any link with an easy home made and economic one? i really don't have an extra refrigerator lol.

3. should I try to normally feed her during this next 2 months. I normally feed F/T


this are my questions atm any help i Thank you!

and sorry for my English is not my main language.

[sookieball]

ok so maternal incubating is not unheard of. alot of people do it especially on this forum.

as far as temps, im not sure how it works with maternal incubation.

incubators, you'll spend as much making one than just buying a small one since you just have one clutch.

theres one by zoo med or exxoterra not sure which called the REPTIBATOR and its for single clutchs. and its only like 220$.

good luck! hope someone else more helpful chimes in

[PghBall]

I have not had any experience with eggs yet (plan to this season) but here are two homemade incubator ideas I found on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iPXn...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYi22...eature=related

As for feeding, I would offer her weekly after taking her off the eggs. I believe as long as she is on the eggs, she may not eat (I will let those experienced comment on that though). I do know that you should scrub out her enclosure after removing the eggs though. Good luck and congrats!

[sarahlovesmiike]

You can leave them with her, just make sure the temps and humidity are correct for incubation. Do a forum search about maternal incubation, there are a few members on here to do it successfully. It's really something to see. They have to be incubated at a steady temperature, so if you're using an on/off thermostat, they will likely die. They can't survive temps much higher than 95*.


You really should have an incubator set up though, they can be made fairly cheap with a Styrofoam cooler, an egg box, heat tape/pad, some water bottles and a thermostat.

[sarahlovesmiike]

Also, you can offer her something, but she may or may not take it. She is much more likely to take something like a weanling over her normal size prey.

[bsash]

I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can.

1. I have never maternally incubated, but I do hear it is very hard as you have to really boost humidity to 80-90% and keep the temperatures perfect.

2. Incubation is much easier with a lot less stress, which also gives a higher hatch rate. www.YouTube.com has some great "How to" build an incubator videos.

Here is one for an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB754...eature=related

3. You could continue to offer food, but offer smaller prey items. Also, don't be disappointed as most females will not eat right away.

Hope this helps some and good luck!

[The Mad Baller]

Reptibator is in the low$ 100's at Lllreptiles, they also have a mini fridge incubator for 1 or 2 small clutches in the low$ 100's.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

IMHO,

I would make a cooler incubator ASAP.

Even if they are normals you can still sell the babies and make enough back to cover most, if not all of the cost of the incubator.

If either of the parents are a morph, you would be a fool not to take the time and money to quickly build an incubator.

Sure you can do the maternal incubation thing... you can also kill all the babies if the temps and humidity aren't right.

[darkolako]

ohh also i forgot to mention I am from Puerto Rico usually the temp here is around 80ish as high as 95 sometimes during mid day, right now without any heat pad I am getting 86* at 5:34pm with almost no sun, and the humidity reading is 70% i sprayed a lil water around the area but they never go below 55% overall in PR.

I'm just wondering if i should place the heat pad with my thermo just to keep the temp around 86 during the night also even tho they don't go lower than 80

but i will also check on building an incubator first time tomorrow morning cuz there is almost nothing open on sundays after 5pm.

[FatBoy]

Incubation needs 2 things...steady temps, 86-90* and 90%+ humidity. The incubator can be as simple as a styrofoam cooler, $10, a heating pad, $15, a 6qt rubbermaid tub, $2, a bag of vermiculite, $5, box of press & seal, $2, and you have an incubator...$35.