Female with eggs

[RandyRemington]

I remember reading in an old (the first?) Vivarium magazine about Bob Clark hatching the first cb albino burms with maternal incubation (and getting bit checking for albino hatchlings). Does anyone here know if he still uses maternal incubation with any species and why or why not? I also read a report of someone in Florida who uses maternal incubation in their garage on what sounded like a large number of ball pythons and sprays the concrete down periodically to keep humidity up. I would think Florida would be fairly humid to start with so us non-coastal people would probably have to work at high humidity even more. Can anyone here confirm the details and identity of this Florida breeder?

It seems logical that the extra 2 months of feeding would benefit the female and that maternal incubation in captivity might be stressfully (I was instructed by a medium sized breeder who uses maternal incubation to only check in on the brooding female once a week). However I would still like to know if anyone has really done much of a study of it. Perhaps there are less apparent physiological or perhaps even psychological benefits to the female or even the babies. I haven't heard anything indicating hatch rates are any less - but again there isn't a lot of hard data.

[Adam_Wysocki]

Does anyone here know if he still uses maternal incubation with any species and why or why not?

No, he does not.

I also read a report of someone in Florida who uses maternal incubation in their garage on what sounded like a large number of ball pythons and sprays the concrete down periodically to keep humidity up.

That's like searching for a needle in a haystack. Name?

However I would still like to know if anyone has really done much of a study of it.

LOL, now thats precious.

Perhaps there are less apparent physiological or perhaps even psychological benefits to the female or even the babies.

LOL ... suddenly I just had visions of someone standing in front of a Freedom Breeder rack holding up Rorschach ink blots. Too funny!

-adam

[vinnimac]

Okay, I am convinced as well that an incubator would be the way to go. Now, what would be a good unit to buy?

[jglass38]

Make your own. Its simple and cheap!

Coleman/Igloo insulated cooler
Bricks and aquarium heater in the bottom with a thermostat probe
Water filled up to the top of the bricks (bricks on their sides)
Rubbermaid container with vermiculite/water mixture sitting on top of the bricks with thermometer in it
clear plastic/glass top for the rubbermaid for easy viewing

Thats it! Email me if you need more info. Mine worked perfectly for my first breeding season! 6 eggs, 6 healthy babies!


Jamie

[vinnimac]

...and then heat the water to the desired incubation temp? I can see how that would definitely keep the humidity up. I don't think I will have any eggs this season, but I want to be informed, and prepared when the time comes.

[jglass38]

Well make sure that the thermometer probe is in the rubbermaid container with the vermiculite/water mix. That is where you will want the desired temperature to be accurate. It is irrelevant what the water temperature is.

[kavmon]

good topic! vinni, call alot of breeders nerd,vpi,ralph davis and ask them how they incubate. go with what is proven for many years. just my opinion.


vaughn

[Entropy]

Well being new I'm enjoying digging through the older stuff.

I've actually read quite a bit about maternal incubation and have talked to people who use it. I googled it a few weeks ago and came up with some interesting information.

http://www.jaymartinreptiles.com/articles.html

http://www.evolutionary-ecology.com/sample/iiar1858.pdf


Those links have the most interesting reading. Also, some other forums have information as well if you use the search function.

[alexrls]

is it really that stressful for a female snake to do what is in essence her natural function of reproduction?
~~Jo~~

LOL ask any mom if raising her baby isnt stressful just cause she knows how

[The Cannibal Monkey]

Haha wow this is an interesting conversation...I had always thought that snakes left their eggs as soon as they laid them, is that incorrect, or only true for certain species? I'm probably making a pretty big generalization =P