Day 50

[akaangela]

Today is day 50 for my mojo x mojo clutch. All eggs have veins, but only has any dark spot in the egg. I am really worried about the eggs. The shells are tough and feel hard. Only one is nice and plump. Humidity is about 99% and temps are about 88. The one egg that has a dark spot in it I can see it moving so I know at least one is alive and well. The rest I can't see anything except a few veins when I candle. This is the first (and last) time I do substratless incubation. I am really worried if they try and pip they won't be able to get through the eggs. Should I worry? Should I cut? I don't want the babies to drown, not being able to get out of the eggs.

[llovelace]

Can you post a pic of the eggs?

[daveadk]

whats wrong with substratless incubation?

[Luke Martin]

With it being a mojo x mojo clutch I'd be willing to bet those eggs you can't see anything in are in fact leucistics. Its the same with Albinos and the other very light snakes. You can even see patterns while candling them by day 50. Sounds like you might have hit it out of the park on the odds! If the eggs have lasted 50 days with no real problems you're in the home stretch. By day 50 they shouldn't be big and plump anymore. They should be sunken. It sounds to me like you've got it right. I personally would cut them.

[akaangela]

I just candled them today, so I don't want to take them out to do pics for at least a few days. Luke I sure hope you are right. I won't cut unless someone tells me that the babies are in danger of drowning. I am not comfortable cutting unless need be or after day 60.

This is my first substraitless incubation and this is the first time any of my eggs have had any problems. Of course it could be that it is the first time I have seen the problem as they have been buried. I was hoping to have 3 clutches this year, but looks like this will be my only clutch.

[J.Vandegrift]

Doesn't sound like you are having any problems. Sounds to be right on schedule. You probably do have leucistics in the eggs that you can't see well into if you are candling correctly. I check all of my pied, leucistic, and albino clutches by candling. Picking out the morphs is easy. I was even able to candle my first ultramel clutch this year and pic out the ultramels. Good luck and try not to worry. If the eggs are not moldy at this point I would bet you get 100% hatch rate. You can wait to cut until the first one pips if you are uncomfortable with it.

[cdavidson9]

Sounds like lots of Lucy's to me!!

[JayCee]

When it gets close to them coming out, I transfer them to another tub with just a couple layers of damp paper towel.

[akaangela]

I made a new thread about the eggs but thought you would like to know. I broke down and cut. It LOOKS like I got 2 mojos (or normals) and 3 Lucy's.