Hatchling tub setup

[sho220]

I've done it both ways. The only thing I didn't like about putting them in their own separate tubs right away was having 'x' more tubs to keep paper towels damp. It's super dry here so that was kind of a pain. But I liked that I could ID each one right away and not have to wait till they shed.

I didn't consider the different geo locations affecting humidity...that being the case it may well be easier to leave them together. I'm on the hot, humid east coast, so damp paper towels the first day or two is usually plenty.

[BCBallPythons]

I keep them in the incubator until they come out of their eggs. As they come out, they go into their own shoebox tub with air holes, damp paper towels, a water bowl and a hide.

Exactly this


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[lance]

when they pip there eggs i was gonna keep them in the incubator just a different tub with 4 holes and wet paper towel till they all come out of the eggs them-selfs then move all to a 15 qt tub in the rack system till they all shed. Does this sound good to you all?

Thanks to all who helped

Lance

[sho220]

when they pip there eggs i was gonna keep them in the incubator just a different tub with 4 holes and wet paper towel till they all come out of the eggs them-selfs then move all to a 15 qt tub in the rack system till they all shed. Does this sound good to you all?

Thanks to all who helped

Lance

I'm not sure I understand...

There's no reason I can think of to move them from one tub once they pip, to another tub until they come out of the eggs.

This is how I do it...once I see the first egg pipped, I'll cut any remaining eggs. After that, it's just a waiting game. I keep them in the same egg tub, inside the incubator.

They will slowly start to come out of the eggs over the next couple of days. Sometimes they'll be almost all the way out, and when you open the incubator, zippp...back in the egg they go. As they come out, I put them in their own shoebox sized tub with air holes, on damp paper towels, with a hide and a water bowl. These tubs go on a hatchling rack with belly heat. If you're not right there when they come out, it's usually no big deal. They'll just curl up in a corner. I say usually <<< because if you're incubating substrateless with a light diffuser thing in the egg tubs it may be a concern for the snakes getting stuck in the holes...but I'm not sure on that. Folks with experience incubating that way can probably chime in with first hand info...

After that it's more waiting...

After they shed for the first time, I'll offer a frozen thawed rat pup. I usually get about 50% of them to eat take them. If that doesn't work, I'll try a live rat pup. If that doesn't work it's on to live mouse hoppers. That usually does the trick and after a few good feedings, it's back to trying f/t rat pups. Once they start eating it's usually pretty easy to get them on f/t rat pups. After that, it's feeding day every 3-4 days, then I'll eventually bump it up to every 4-5 days, and then eventually on to a once a week schedule...

Anywho...I'm rambling...hope I helped...

[MarkS]

when they pip there eggs i was gonna keep them in the incubator just a different tub with 4 holes and wet paper towel till they all come out of the eggs them-selfs then move all to a 15 qt tub in the rack system till they all shed. Does this sound good to you all?

Thanks to all who helped

Lance

Sounds fine, but there is really no reason to move them before they come out of the egg. How do you have the egg box set up? Is there a reason why you think they should be moved?

[lance]

I have the tub with vermiculite in it mixed with enough water that you can make a ball of vermiculite but no water drips out and I air it out once a week for 5 minutes I figured it be easier once they pipped I could separate the eggs and move them to a tub with hole in the sides and wet paper towel bottoms so when they emerge from the egg they won't be all covered in vermiculite and easier to rinse off.

Lance

[sho220]

I have the tub with vermiculite in it mixed with enough water that you can make a ball of vermiculite but no water drips out and I air it out once a week for 5 minutes I figured it be easier once they pipped I could separate the eggs and move them to a tub with hole in the sides and wet paper towel bottoms so when they emerge from the egg they won't be all covered in vermiculite and easier to rinse off.

Lance

It's no big deal and you don't even really need to "rinse" them off. Not sure if other people really do that, but all you have to do is wipe them with a damp paper towel. You probably don't even really need to do that as they will eventually clean themselves off by crawling around in their new tub that should have damp paper towels in it. Just depends on how clean and purty you want them.

Disclaimer: I use Hatchrite instead of vermiculite so I'm not sure if vermiculite is messier or sticks to the babies more...but Hatchrite basically falls off after they crawl around enough...

Sometimes they even like to wear it as a hat! Derp!

[MarkS]

Yeah, it's really not that necessary but personally I rinse them off under running water because they're usually really slimy with egg gunk which makes them hard to hold onto. It makes it easier to sex them when they're not slippery.

[Don]

Once the first egg pips, I take all of the eggs out of the egg box and put them into another 6 qt container with a wet paper towel in the bottom and a small water bowl. Then I place them back into the incubator. The reason I do this is because I don't really want the babies to come out and crawl around on light diffuser and drink the water in the bottom where the perlite is contained. I used to cut, but no longer do. It may be only my imagination, but now that I no longer cut, the babies seem to eat better after their first shed. I keep all of the babies together in that second box until they all have shed, then I sex, weigh, make data cards and separate them into their individual enclosures in the baby racks.

[SquamishSerpents]

I do exactly as Don does.