I shouldn't slit it, should I?

[Ginevive]

This egg is on Day 53 (tomorrow.) I see slight movement, and I candled it with my crappy dim LED; see red veins aplenty but the LED isn't bright enough to make out the dark blob inside... this is so frustrating. The movement was noticed by me when I looked in and noticed that the dents were in a different formation than they were earlier What shall I do now? Here's a pic from a few minutes ago.. if there is a baby in there, it has to be Very small, only taking up half the egg. but the bright red veins look great; is this possible? Is he so small that he can't get out? I have had it at a steady 90 degrees all through incubation. I am

[joepythons]

This is a tuff call .How is your humidity? I have never seen a egg dent that much.Is this the only egg you have,if not how are the others looking?

[iceman25]

Tough call there Jen. I would pm some of our resident breeders and see what they have to say about it. Good luck!

[kavmon]

it is a judgement call, i wouldn't get too worried on day 53. most of mine pipped this season at 55-56 days.



vaughn

[Ginevive]

It is our only egg. The rest had rotted from the outside in, and died. I admit, we were naive in the beginning and sprayed water so some got onto the eggs and they may have drowned because of this; just don't know. The ones that died, were definately goners; the last one was rotting and started to get hard, so I sliced it open around Day 40 and it had a dead embryo about 3 inches long and pink; smelled horrid
I asked not too long ago and was told to keep the humidity steady where it was and wait it out. I guess I had it on the lower side, fearing that the eggs would drown as I had read that too much humidity is worse than too little. But it was always at a point where the substrate was damp (never soppy or wring-out-drippy) and the container had condensation on the sides. The lid is a glass panel weighted by a thin ashtray.
I just don't know what to do; someone posted recently about a hatchling that didn't hatch out, and they cut the egg open to find it intact but dead; could it be possible that a smaller one could be incapable of getting out of the shell?

[kavmon]

anything is possible, nature has made them with an egg tooth and the egg shell does soften up prior to hatching. it is really a judgement call? if you do cut, i would just make a very small 1/2" slit in the egg(don't make any sunroofs!).



vaughn

[Ginevive]

Well, no new developments this morning, save for a tiny spot that developed that looks almost see-through. I will give it till after 5 when I get home frm work and reassess it; any other thoughts?

[Adam_Wysocki]

I wouldn't slit it if you want to be sure it lives. Let the snake do what it is designed to do.

-adam

[Freakie_frog]

Adam's the man. If anyone would know it would be him.

[4theSNAKElady]

I would let nature take its course......if you slit it too early, it may do more harm than good. Good luck with the lil fella!!