On March 1,2009 my female texas indigo produced 11 seeming good eggs and 2-3 much smaller but shelled slugs. They were set up in vermiculite and placed in my snake room where I strive to keep the ambient temperature below 80 degrees F. I thought it might be informative to go through the gory details of this incubation process.
Day 96 - 1 pip and #1 emerged
Day 97- 3 additional pips (at least pressure lost)
Day 98 - #2 emerged
Day 99 - I opened one of "pipped" eggs because it was smelling bad and found Twins- but both were already dead and decomposing.
This prompted me to open the last pipped egg and I found a weak, but alive embryo that I removed to damp paper toweling. Most of the yolk mass was gone and I gave it a few hours before tying off the umbilical cord. I would give this snake oral electrolyes the next day and I am happy that it now looks fine.
Day 100 -eventually ended up cutting all of the remaining 7 eggs.
Day 101 - nothing- I was sure at this point I had killed the remaining 7 embryos.
Day 102 - #4 emerged
Day 103 - #5 emerged -things are looking up.
Day 104 - nothing - starting to worry again.
Day 105 -#6 emerged
Day 106 - #7 & #8 emerged
Day 107 - #9 emerged
Day 108 -
Day 109-
Day 110- further cut the last egg; felt and saw some movement.
Day 111 - #10 emerged! YEAH

So, it was a successful hatch. But I still don't know what would have happened had I done nothing. Brian has reported a long period of emergence for a clutch of yellowtails this year.
What would others of you had done? Just left them alone?

I will try and post some pics. If anyone wants to see them in person, I will have a couple at the Columbia SC show this weekend.

Thanks for reading and I hope that this might help other future breeders.

Bob H

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