Whole clutch died.

[hungba]

Was this just not meant to be? Or could this have been avoided somehow?

First clutch of the year. Laid weeks before all the others. Eggs all looked great. 49 days in, 5 eggs started turning green. The two good ones pipped sometime last night or this morning.

As soon as I found them, I knew something was wrong. They were not scared when I opened the lid. One was already dead. The other still alive but very weak and flopped over. I touched the head and it gave a yawn and died shortly after. They look like normal snakes no deformity or anything.

I need to know if this clutch was just genetically screwed from the begining or something wrong with my incubator. I'm no expert but this is my third year breeding and it's not exactly my first time around the block.

Up until last year I had a small styrofoam incubator but this year I had many clutches and made a fridge type incubator. I can not find anything wrong with it and found temperatures to be completely even, left to right, top to bottom, front to back. Two thermostat probes one near upper part one near lower part, temps did not vary more than 1 degree, ever.

Why would they pip and immediately die like that?

If something is wrong I need to know it. I have 53 more eggs in there.

[John1982]

Sorry for your loss of the clutch. If temperatures are accurate and steady, and humidity is maintained, then it just wasn't meant to be for those particular eggs. I wouldn't be overly concerned for the remaining eggs in the bator.

[hungba]

Let's say it WAS a problem with temps or whatnot. Why would they go full term, pip, THEN die? I'd think those eggs would have gone bad like the other 5 in the clutch?

I know they breath air once out of the egg, but I know you only open the box once a day after pipping it should be enough air? Some people leave them in the bator till they first shed I hear, in those air tight egg boxes, and they get enough air from opening once a day, right?

[John1982]

Maybe whatever killed the first 5 eggs only managed to severely weaken the 2 remaining.

[hungba]

Hey, what egg boxes should be used? Before I was using egg boxes which were not lockable and probably not airtight. This year the boxes are plastic lunch boxes with press on lid. Probably not air tight either, but more so than before. I can't imagine it be a problem if people use that press and seal stuff?

I hope its only this clutch but if something's up I need to know.

[hungba]

This is NOT the box I'm using but its a picture online of a box with the same kind of press on lids.



I can't see it being a problem? Could there be too much water in the egg??? I don't get it. I know you need to lid the boxes to keep humidity in, but then, people use press n seal to make it airtight but then poke holes in it.

[MS2]

I have a few air hole in my egg boxes. I just use regular sterlite "shoebox" size tubs. No air tight lids and it has been working great for me.

[hungba]

Yes, but is this whar caused the deaths? Is it wrong to use airtight lids? Because I have always been told to?

I open the tubs once a week for air exchange, and everyday last two weeks.

Should I drill holes in all the tubs?

[sho220]

I don't get it. I know you need to lid the boxes to keep humidity in, but then, people use press n seal to make it airtight but then poke holes in it.

People go to great lengths to make this stuff more complicated than it is...

[hungba]

Anybody can offer any help or advice?