No wonder he disabled comments on his videos

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I'm pretty sure nurses don't go in and cut the baby out before it's due date. They would only do such a thing if it was an emergency or if it still hasn't been born after the due date.

Poor comparison.

Oh, ok... So you have a problem with him cutting the eggs before they are due...

News Alert: The vast majority of experienced breeders that you talk to on this site cut eggs all the time. I usually prefer to pinch and rip mine open some because I just don't trust my skills enough to have sharps around the babies... plus, ripping has always worked just fine for me . Does that mean you won't buy babies from me or from the majority of people on this site?

Or is it that you think it is wrong for him to touch the babies?? You think it is bad for him to pull the babies out a little to take a look, then watch them squirm back into the eggs and get nice and comfy?

News Alert: This too is common practice.

[adamsky27]

I'm pretty sure nurses don't go in and cut the baby out before it's due date. They would only do such a thing if it was an emergency or if it still hasn't been born after the due date.

Poor comparison.

That is a very poor comparison. We aren't talking about the way they are handled AFTER they are born. We are talking about them being ripped out of the egg, BEFORE they were supposed to hatch naturally...

The nurse handling a born child is completely different and is no way related to what is going on here.

[adamsky27]

Oh, ok... So you have a problem with him cutting the eggs before they are due...

News Alert: The vast majority of experienced breeders that you talk to on this site cut eggs all the time. I usually prefer to pinch and rip mine open some because I just don't trust my skills enough to have sharps around the babies... plus, ripping has always worked just fine for me . Does that mean you won't buy babies from me or from the majority of people on this site?

Or is it that you think it is wrong for him to touch the babies?? You think it is bad for him to pull the babies out a little to take a look, then watch them squirm back into the eggs and get nice and comfy?

News Alert: This too is common practice.

I'd like to see some links of cutting videos of people breeding ball pythons that do this (the same way this guy does). I think cutting eggs is fine. I don't agree with pulling the babies out after you cut and forcing them back in the egg. Of the many BP cutting videos I've seen, I've yet to see one where they pull it out of the egg. Prove me wrong.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

That is a very poor comparison. We aren't talking about the way they are handled AFTER they are born. We are talking about them being ripped out of the egg, BEFORE they were supposed to hatch naturally...

You are seriously being overly dramatic. LOL, you act like this guy ripped the babies out of the egg, threw them against the wall, then shoved them back in the egg! He cut them with precision with a razor (something he has obviously done thousands of times)... He pulled them out a little to identify their pattern, then he helped them squirm back into the egg.

I'd like to see some links of cutting videos of people breeding ball pythons that do this (the same way this guy does). I think cutting eggs is fine. I don't agree with pulling the babies out after you cut and forcing them back in the egg. Of the many BP cutting videos I've seen, I've yet to see one where they pull it out of the egg. Prove me wrong.

Typical internet based knowledge... "Show me where it is on the web, because if it isn't on the web, it doesn't happen" LOL

[CatandDiallo]

I may not know much about breeding, especially with retics, but I can say that this video made me a little bit uncomfortable.

But I guess some people are right. You tell someone who has never picked up a baby or small child off the floor, and they'll do it super-awkwardly and overly-gently. Then, when you watch their mothers pick them up off the floor, it may look a bit more rough and/or fast.
This guy would be classified as one of the "mothers", since he's been hatching healthy babies for a very long time. It may look more rough to us, but maybe the more experienced breeders feel that this isn't an issue and doesn't hard the animal, including this guy.

[adamjeffery]

I may not know much about breeding, especially with retics, but I can say that this video made me a little bit uncomfortable.

But I guess some people are right. You tell someone who has never picked up a baby or small child off the floor, and they'll do it super-awkwardly and overly-gently. Then, when you watch their mothers pick them up off the floor, it may look a bit more rough and/or fast.
This guy would be classified as one of the "mothers", since he's been hatching healthy babies for a very long time. It may look more rough to us, but maybe the more experienced breeders feel that this isn't an issue and doesn't hard the animal, including this guy.

and you are correct.
if it makes someone uncomfortable that is fine. that person see's there limit and realizes its not something they want to do. but some of us that have been around may feel comfortable doing it. other's that have been around still choose not to which is fine as well. i myself dont pull them out but i do move them around to see what i need to see.
those talking about stress need to understand that this whole process takes only seconds per snake. not gonna stress them out that much if at all.
adam jeffery

[sho220]

Although I personally wouldn't dig in to the egg and mess with the babies, I doubt he's ever had any problems resulting from it.

People are way to paranoid about how delicate and tempermental these animals are.

[adamsky27]

Typical internet based knowledge... "Show me where it is on the web, because if it isn't on the web, it doesn't happen" LOL

Before you open your mouth please read what I said. I didn't say that it doesn't happen. What I said was that of all the BP cutting videos that I have seen, I have yet to see a person pull the snakes out of the egg, and then shove them back in. Again, please prove me wrong. Or better yet, do this with your next clutch and post some videos of it. See what responses you get.

LOL at yourself...

[koloo921]

I was impressed with his cutting abilities. It takes me around 30 minutes to cut 5 or 6 eggs I would never attempt to pull a baby out but don't see anything wrong with it. I have put my finger in all of my eggs and never had a problem.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Before you open your mouth please read what I said. I didn't say that it doesn't happen. What I said was that of all the BP cutting videos that I have seen, I have yet to see a person pull the snakes out of the egg, and then shove them back in. Again, please prove me wrong. Or better yet, do this with your next clutch and post some videos of it. See what responses you get.

This thread is a perfect example of why you won't see many videos on it. Newbies are way to quick to pass judgement on things when it goes against what their internet experience has shown to be right or wrong.

Regardless of if you like it or not, it is common practice. The reason it is common practice by the way is because if you know what you are doing and what you are working with, it is harmless.

Or better yet, do this with your next clutch and post some videos of it. See what responses you get.

I couldn't care less what others think of my practices. I do what works for me and my animals. I just hatched out my last clutch of the season. They were on day 56 when the first baby started to cut the egg. I was anxious to see what everything was so I ripped the other 6 eggs open. All of the yolks were obviously already gone so I went ahead and dumped them out of the eggs completely and washed the slime off of them in the kitchen sink. Now they are sitting nice and clean and happy in their tub waiting for their first shed. 2.0 Super pastels, 1.2 Pastels, and 1.1 Normals.