timing of transition

[Badgemash]

Granted I'm a little ahead of myself, since Bubbles hasn't done anything other than lock yet, but I've got some questions about moving the eggs if she lays any. I'm seeing pics of clutches in 2 positions, freshly deposited with mama protectively wrapped around, and then in the incubator, often with a weight given for the clutch. How quick are you to get the eggs away from the female? Am I going to need to stay home from work for a few days? Will the eggs be ok staying with her for a few hours assuming I don't (room temp 80, she's in a rack, humidity in there ranges from 45-55%)? Should I take the paper substrate away so the eggs don't stick to it? How fast do you have to get the eggs into the incubator after taking them from the female? I'm freaking out that by stopping to weigh them and put 'this side up' tic marks on, they might get too cold (obviously this is silly since other people manage just fine, but I'm a worrier). Is there some kind of critical time window? Like you can have the eggs out for no more than 4 minutes to arrange, candle, etc before the change in temperature begins to damage them?

[Annarose15]

The time to move them around won't hurt them at all, just lift them slowly when you pick them up for the first time if they appear to be stuck to each other, the tub, etc. You do NOT want to tear a hole in one. I was out of town for a clutch once - I think the eggs were laid 36-48 hours before I found them, based on dimpling. They all hatched with zero issues, just looked a little more deflated than my clutches usually are. I can almost guarantee you your girl won't lay on schedule, which could mean WEEKS off work if you were going ot sit around and wait for her. Now if you just need a good excuse for a vacation, then go for it!

[Badgemash]

I wish I could do that, but I can't earn money for more snakes if I'm not at work! I'm just terrified I'm going to accidentally hurt the eggs, I don't want to screw this up (if it happens). Poor Bubbles is getting felt up every day for follicles, I thought I felt some little pea sized things in there, but it's probably wishful thinking. Good thing she likes being held.

[BHReptiles]

my girls are running me raggid too! Why can't they grow follicles as fast as human women xD At least we (speaking as a woman, myself) tend to be pretty regular. At least we would know a good timeline and it would take months with no guarantees.

[John Marker]

I recently posted my first clutch from this year. I leave the paper substrate in the tub, the eggs do not stick too bad and if the paper tears and comes with the eggs it is not a big deal. My girl had laid eggs late in the evening and I was thought she was finished, so I started to remove her. I had her half way off of her eggs when I was pretty sure I could see that she had one left in her. So I let her finish over night. In the late morning, I took her off of her eggs and moved her to an empty tub so I could deal with the eggs. This is a time when you shouldn't rush. I marked the eggs, took the eggs out of the tub, candled them, weighed them, and then set them up in the egg box. I didn't rush, it took me 10 to 15 minutes to complete those tasks this time. I had one of my kids with me, so I was explaining what I was doing and why, along with answering questions, while I was dealing with the eggs.

If she would have finished laying on a morning that I had to go to work, I would have left them in with her until I got home that evening. She would have taken care of them.

Moving the eggs is not a big deal. You don't have to hurry. Do what you need to do and be careful with them. Take what time you need to do the job completely and safely.

I hope this helps,

John