>>The moss I used is zoo-med brand sphagnum moss meant for frogs. I figured that this would be the safest moss. No pesticides, no fertilizers, nothing that could damage delicate amphibians.

>>

>>I had very little problem keeping the moss moist enough. I soaked it first so it was completely waterlogged, and then squeezed it by hand until it stopped dripping. After that, every other time I opened the incubator, I misted the moss to the sides of my eggs, which were all in a clump. The only problem I had was that the moss directly underneath the clutch did dry out completely and I didn't notice it until two weeks before hatch, but no damage done. I gently removed the egg clump, repeated my initial stage of set up for the moss, put them back and voila!

>>

Next year I hope to be able to separate the clutch so that the drying out will be easier. If I can't, I'll just be sure to check underneath them every other week.







don't worry about the moss drying out..some..until you start to see the eggs dimple..I've been experimenting over the last few years and I have found that the drier the better. Last season and the season before I had 97% hatch rates keeping the moss as dry as possible. So far this season I have had three small clutches hatch...total of 23 eggs all hatched. so at this moment I am at 100% but I'm a little worried about two of the remaining 73 eggs..backed off on my numbers a little this season.

I know one person in a short three season experiment would be far from scientific evidence but as far as hatching on moss it's working for me...the previous several years my hatch rate was running around an 87% average. Seems like a fairly significant change to me.

some nice looking little anerys. that last one has some nice contrast. So far I'm with you on that one being a keeper.

You can sometimes be surprised by anery and ghost hatchlings...sometimes ghosts can look almost identical to anerys in the same clutch and then after a shed or two you start to see the difference.....some can be pretty obvious some can be more subtle.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes...No one can have just one.

"Resistance is futile"

Jimmy Johnson

(Draybar)

Draybars Snakes



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