By your definition I don't have a good reason.

I do it because the people I've learned from in this business/hobby do it and they're who I learned from so I do a lot of things that they do. I set up my racks like they do. I use the same temps during breeding season as they do. I artificially incubate like they do, same temps, same substrate, same boxes, so cutting like they do seemed to follow suit. Had I learned from somebody who didn't cut perhaps I wouldn't either.

I do it because I like to have an idea of what's hatching. I organize hatchlings in racks based on morph so normals and hets go in a different rack than visuals and cutting lets me set up tubs ahead of time.

As far as the shell evolving, I'll agree with you, but it evolved for maternal incubation purposes because outdoors conditions change and aren't perfect. In the controlled temperature, humidity, airflow of my incubator it's importance is reduced.

I can't tell that cutting makes any difference. My hatchlings leave the egg between days 55-60 which seems to be the consensus for cutters and non-cutters and they seem to grow and thrive just fine.

Chris

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