The first baby is here!

[dalvers63]

55 days on the dot my first baby pipped. I cannot say how excited I am! I went in and seperated the eggs this morning because they had been dimpling since Tuesday. When we got home from a show this evening, this is what I saw when I checked the incubator:



More pictures to come as the rest of them pip (5 eggs total).

My question to those of you with more experience is, should I slit the eggs that haven't pipped yet or wait for the babies to do it? This is my very first ball python clutch and while I've hatched Spotted pythons and cornsnakes, they all pipped just fine on their own. If you think I should help them, what's the best way to do it with the least risk to the baby?

I am so glad I have you guys to share this with! THough my husband is just as excited as I am, our friends think we're kinda strange.

Thanks for all the help and support I've received (even if you didn't know it). I felt so much better knowing that I could come to the community here and ask any questions I had without feeling like too much of a noob.

deb

[joepythons]

Congrats

[Michelle.C]

Congratulations!!!

[Alice]

Congratulations! Are these hatchlings going to be beautiful normals or a morph?

In regard to cutting the eggs, many do and many others don't . . . . clear answer right? I usually wait and see what they do on their own until about day 60. If they haven't pipped on their own, I take a small pair of cuticle sissors, carefully pinch a very small bit of the top of the egg between my thumb and forefinger and then make a small cut (I usually cut only 1/2 inch or so) of the pinched portion of the egg. When you release the pinched part of the egg, the small cut, now about 1 inch long, gives the hatchling enough space to get its head out. Somtimes it is hard to pinch even a small portion but the dimpling usually helps. I won't cut if I can't pinch a portion of the egg because I fear hurting the snake and I don't do the major cuts I have seen others do for the same reason. I've only had one egg that I couldn't pinch a bit and then cut and it pipped on its own on day 61.

I know many breeders almost always cut their eggs on about day 53 or so. Maybe they will post here in reply to your question so you can get several opinions.

It is rather scary when you do it the first time, but with a little practice, you'll become a real pro. Good luck! Let us know what happens and post pics as soon as you can.

[kavmon]

when the first one pips, get the snips!


congrats!!



vaughn

[lord jackel]

when the first one pips, get the snips!


congrats!!



vaughn

Congrats...this is such an exciting time. I agree with Vaughn at this point they are ready (since one came out) cut the rest.

[Sevo]

Congrats on the first pip. I bet it feels great. keep us posted for sure

I am so glad I have you guys to share this with! THough my husband is just as excited as I am, our friends think we're kinda strange.

Thanks for all the help and support I've received (even if you didn't know it). I felt so much better knowing that I could come to the community here and ask any questions I had without feeling like too much of a noob.

deb

I feel the same way. All of my friends think I am nuts for breeding BP's, plus I am a falconer and breed raptors(hawks and falcons) and have pretty big rat colony.... all of these things combined really adds up the crazy factor to them.. That is why i post here as well, so i dot get the your weird look

keep at it and dont mind them, i think they are crazy for just wanting be like the rest of sheep.

[dalvers63]

Congratulations! Are these hatchlings going to be beautiful normals or a morph?

Alice - as far as I know, these will all be normals. Both parents were unproven and I wanted to see how things would go. Next year I hope to produce some pastels and in a few years I'll be going for pieds.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll probably give the others a day or so and see what happens. That's if I can be patient enough!

I'll post more pics as they pip and come out.

deb

[dalvers63]

We now have two and it looks like a third is ready to go. So far, only normals but that's OK. The one thing I'm interested in seeing is how these guys are for feeding. Both of their parents are great feeders on F/T so I hope that passes on to the offspring.

More pics when the kids are out and showing themselves.

deb