Post 2,000 and I need help now more then ever!!!

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Was hoping to post pics of my new hatchlings with my 2,000th post, but you get this instead.

My eggs are on day 55. Friday is day 56.

The eggs are still deflating a little each day. One of them has defated so much that it has a big crease on the top. There is also a few new black spots on two of the eggs... just little spots, but they are there. One of the black spots looks like a black "line" in the egg... almost like the snake tried to cut out but didn't make it all the way thru.

They have been incubating at 88.5 degrees in near 100% humidity using the substrateless method. They started to heat up on I believe Sunday... because that is when I first noticed the condensation on the side of the tub.

I candled them last night. two of them responded to the light and moved a tiny bit, but none of them moved nearly as much as they normally do.

What do I do? Should I cut just to be safe?? or should I leave them alone just to be safe?? what way is safe?!!!

If I should cut them, can someone PLEASE give me step by step directions on how to do so.

Thanks for all your help guys. These dam things better live!!!!!

[coldbloodaddict]

Yeah cut them...Pinch the top of the egg together and cut the fold straight across about an inch.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

If you are really that stress about it, I say cut.

A little tip before cutting candle your eggs and try to see where the veins are (you can mark them with a pencil if you want to) than proceed to cut slowly and carefully.

http://www.ralphdavisreptiles.com/ma...tting_eggs.asp

[MarkS]

Go ahead and cut them if you want. Not too much, maybe just slit an inch or two long, doesn't really take much. When I cut eggs, I use a mustache scissors (small and sharp) and I cut with the edge of the scissors rather then poking the point into them. Cut real shallow so you don't cut any veins.

[aff19802]

From what I have seen id cut check this video he doesnt explain, but its a good view!!!

YouTube - Henry Piorun views Lesser/enchi/sugar X Banded Female Ball Python clutch

he has a few more that show also ralph davis

[Laooda]

I always worry about the texture of the eggs, like if they are soft enough for the babies to slit... But I'm always worried about everything! LOL

I'm pretty sure that at day 52 it's real safe to cut, but I know it all depends on temps...
*Someone please correct me if I'm wrong*

I had 3 out of 6 pip last week on day 52... so I slit the last 3. I just gently pinched the top of the egg to make a fold, and made a tiny cut with cuticle scissors on the fold... that was it! I'm sure everything will work out great! BREATHE! !

[frankykeno]

Mike these are the exact instructions shared with me by a major breeder. I did this last year and every one of the snakes came out beautifully with no excessive bleeding from the cut egg and with fully absorbed yolks.

Take the eggs in the egg box into a dark area, candle them and put a light pencil line on an area where you see no major veins and the snake is out of the way.

Return to a well lit area, find your pencil line, pinch it slightly to raise it up. Cut carefully using small curved cuticle scissors creating a V. Enlarge as needed then cut off the bottom of the V creating a nice neat triangular opening. Very gently squeeze the egg to express a small amount of the liquid out of the egg. Gently wipe away any egg goop that comes out with a paper towel.

Replace the egg in the egg box in it's original position.

Once the eggs are cut and until all the snakes are fully out of their eggs, open the egg box and gently mist the eggs once or twice daily. I kept a small mister bottle right in the incubator so the temps of that water matched the incubator temps.

Hope this helped.

P.S. I was literally shaking and terrified the first time I cut into an egg. It does get way easier with practise.

[dr del]

Heh,

I dropped one of mine and kicked it under the table carrying it from the incubator to the table I was going to cut it on.

Luckily the lil spud forgave me.

I don't recommend that by the way.


dr del

[Creeptastic]

I no nothing about eggs so sorry for the silly questions. But when he does that, why dont they start moving around? Does anyone have a site that explains a snake from first layed eggs to when they are ready to pip? Im curious as to how they grow, and the veins/blood he was talking about. Thanks

[dr del]

Hi,

Mine moved when I prodded them in the egg.

I got a bit caried away when I was cutting mine (first time for practice ) so there is a good shot of the veins through the sunroof I installed.


The one glaring at me is the one I dropped.



And you can see the veins in this one quite well;



Next time I will be just making the small slits everyone sensible recommends.


dr del