Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,

I have some eggs from a python that she laid about 3 days ago. I just checked them and I accidently rolled about 3 or 4 of the eggs. I put them back in place but not exactly sure if they were in the same way when they were laid.

I have heard about the egg poles and that it can be bad for the embryos...I'm really worried that I made a bad mistake. Can anyone help with advice/tips/experiences. Next time I will definitely mark the eggs as to which side is up to avoid this bush league mistake. Thanks,

sebring

I've been told Ball eggs are very durable and not to worry about stuff like that, but try not to let it happen. Look at it this way, if you don't know which side is up, how would anyone else be able to tell you which way to turn them??? I wouldn't worry. It's in the hands of the gods like always.

>>I've been told Ball eggs are very durable and not to worry about stuff like that, but try not to let it happen. Look at it this way, if you don't know which side is up, how would anyone else be able to tell you which way to turn them??? I wouldn't worry. It's in the hands of the gods like always.

Actually..There is a way to tell which way is up..Well in my opinion anyway.

Candle them and if there is a side with a yellow glow to it.Then that is the side you want on the bottom.

I'm of the opinion that the yolk adheres to the inside wall early on.Which dictates their needed placement.

I also think that this is especially prevalent with eggs from late laying females..As it may be possible that the internal adherance begins before they are laid.(Which could explain how some eggs go bad mid incubation.Even though they were fertile.)

The next question is "why do some good eggs go bad at all?"...Well,perhaps the yolk actually crushes down on the yet to be fully formed baby.Causing developmental issues,etc.

If i'm wrong then i'm wrong...BUT,so far every rollout i have gotten has hatched and lived..As well as several that i have removed from the stuck together cluthes and inverted as i saw fit.
As a matter of fact i just did this yesterday with a ten egg clutch(with one infertile)that had three rollouts and three that needed to be removed/unstuck and set upright.
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Charles Glaspie

There was one rollout,and two others that had been rolled and then re-clutched by mom....I could tell by the way the newspaper had stuck to them(They were not adhered to the others either.)

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Charles Glaspie

and I Honestly am asking (not being a smartass), When I candle my clutches, the ones that candle yellow, that never survive, with no visible red/pink veins, the ones that EVERYONE else I've talk to said are infertile or duds, I can turn over 180 degrees and they have a chance of survival? You've done this 100% of the time. Eggs that don't candle out AND roll outs, you just flip over and they go full term and hatch out a live snake? Like I said, I'm not being a smartass. I have a clutch of lessers/cinnies/or spiders to a pastel, 5 eggs,(2 candled yellow although they look healthy and were NOT roll outs I'm told they are 99% not viable) if I turn them over they will make it?

>>and I Honestly am asking (not being a smartass), When I candle my clutches, the ones that candle yellow, that never survive, with no visible red/pink veins, the ones that EVERYONE else I've talk to said are infertile or duds, I can turn over 180 degrees and they have a chance of survival?You've done this 100% of the time. Eggs that don't candle out AND roll outs, you just flip over and they go full term and hatch out a live snake? Like I said, I'm not being a smartass. I have a clutch of lessers/cinnies/or spiders to a pastel, 5 eggs,(2 candled yellow although they look healthy and were NOT roll outs I'm told they are 99% not viable) if I turn them over they will make it?

Not exactly...Infertile is infertile(all yellow,with no veins)no matter what you do....but...if there are veins and/or a pink hue on the other sides..then yes,flip those over(yellow side down)and they should hatch.
For the most part i'm referring to those eggs that folks get that go bad somewhere around 20 to 40 days or so into incubation.
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Charles Glaspie

If I were him, I would definately try and find which way was up...if you get my point. You r suggestions are very interesting thanks for the info, its good to know. I think when they roll early on its not as bad as after a few (or many days) for reasons you explained. I always mark the top with an X right away so I know which way is up.

~np!

>>If I were him, I would definately try and find which way was up...if you get my point. You r suggestions are very interesting thanks for the info, its good to know. I think when they roll early on its not as bad as after a few (or many days) for reasons you explained. I always mark the top with an X right away so I know which way is up.
>>
>>~np!

Yeah,exactly...(imho)if they roll early then there has not been an internal adherance of the membrane to the egg wall yet.

Unless the clutch was layed really late,then(i think)that perhaps the adherance has already taken place(before they were layed)..Which means that when mom re-arranges them to coil around them,that perhaps she is at fault for the inversion/s...Again this is pure speculation on my part,but so far so good.
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Charles Glaspie

I have never heard anyone suggest that before, very good thinking. The eggs wouldnt know if they are inside or outside -right? I forget exactly how it works, but as soon as the embryo is ferttilized the clock would be running...

I have to go back and re-read but you may be exactly correct with your theory.

eggs do know if they are inside or outside the female's body.....as soon as air hits them the clock would start running and after a certain amount of time...I wouldn't turn them......some people say they are ok to turn, some say to turn a "little bit" or slowly...?....after a few hours the female would have gathered them all up in a pile and I would think a few hours would be the time limit......half a day or more and they should be kept as is...

since you have them set ...let them that way...and as mentioned...it is up to the Ball God's now....
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