First eggs of the season for me. :)

[ClarkT]

That's cool! I sure want to try this! Good luck on it, and keep collecting and sharing the data!

[fredanthony]

Best of luck! Hope you get se nice little ones.

[Kymberli]

Good luck with this! I can't wait to see how it turns out, I'm interested in trying maternal incubation when I start breeding in a couple years

[Failshed]

Congrats!

[Quiet Tempest]

I added more cypress and sphagnum moss to Freckle's tub the other night because the humidity was at 50% and I wanted to bring it up a little. It bumped the humidity up more than I anticipated to 95% and I really wish it would come down a bit. The eggs and mom all seem fine and the substrate isn't wet, but I'd rather the humidity levels be between 60 and 80 so that mom has more control and conditions don't become damp. I'll just keep an eye on things and remove bedding/moss if need be.

I did offer food today (fresh killed small rat) and she showed some interest but then backed away and hid her head. I'll give her a few more days and try again.

[Homegrownscales]

Very nice Quiet Tempest! That's my next goal with breeding is to do a clutch the maternal route. Lovely!

[Kymberli]

To the OP (or anyone else who's tried both ways of incubation),

do you find it easier to allow maternal incubation? Just curious, I'm not looking for the most convenient way to breed, I'd rather do what's best for the clutch.

[Quiet Tempest]

To the OP (or anyone else who's tried both ways of incubation),

do you find it easier to allow maternal incubation? Just curious, I'm not looking for the most convenient way to breed, I'd rather do what's best for the clutch.

I've incubated jungle carpet eggs artificially but every ball python clutch I've had has been left with the mothers. I like the ease of maternal incubation and feel that the eggs have a better chance of survival with their mother rather than in an incubator. I have lost eggs in an incubator but have yet to lose any that remain with their mother. I'm hesitant to use incubators with pythons unless it's absolutely necessary. I read a study that concluded that artificially incubated eggs are more likely to suffer yolk dessication (solidified yolk is left in the egg at hatching) whereas maternally incubated eggs lose less water during the incubation period and tend to result in larger, more active neonates at hatching. The study definitely bolsters my opinion of maternal incubation.

http://www.rcreptiles.com/articles/w...their-eggs.pdf


It's entirely up to the keeper what method to use once you've got eggs, but for me this is the better choice.

[Homegrownscales]

I just read this whole study and I'm quite interested. I was taught that maternal inc was more stressful on the mother and therefor shouldn't be risked. Although I am seriously giving a thought of taking a go at it. I was origanally thinking if doing 1-2 clutches like this but maybe I'll do more.
Quiet tempest: I have read from you that mothers eat while brooding. What's the method you use to safely get them to eat without disturbance of the eggs? Do you find that they eat regularly? Beyond that you keep the eggs the same with a bit more humidity in the rack correct?

[Quiet Tempest]

I just read this whole study and I'm quite interested. I was taught that maternal inc was more stressful on the mother and therefor shouldn't be risked. Although I am seriously giving a thought of taking a go at it. I was origanally thinking if doing 1-2 clutches like this but maybe I'll do more.
Quiet tempest: I have read from you that mothers eat while brooding. What's the method you use to safely get them to eat without disturbance of the eggs? Do you find that they eat regularly? Beyond that you keep the eggs the same with a bit more humidity in the rack correct?

I don't ordinarily have to make any changes to to tubs. I did add more cypress and moistened sphagnum moss with this one just because the humidity was in the 50-55% range and I wanted it up at least another 10-20%. It jumped up to 95% after adding the extra substrate and moss but seems to have leveled off at 85% now.

As for feeding, I ordinarily just place a fresh killed rat in the tub near the female. If she's hungry, she'll uncoil either partially or entirely and go after it. The eggs are usually stuck together so even if she strikes from her coil, the eggs are still safe in their pile. Once she's finished eating, she'll wrap around her clutch again. I did offer her a rat a few days ago but she want it. I'll offer her food again next week and see if she's more interested then.