I've had BAD LUCK this year with my kingsnake eggs!



They were laid 11 days ago, and almost immediately the top egg started to deflate. I tried to increase humidity by moistening the vermiculite (but that seemed TOO moist and the lower eggs seemed to be bothered by the level of moisture)... so then I allowed it to dry out a bit (the substrate) but placed a moist paper towel over the eggs to try to increase humidity for the eggs on the top of the pile. No LUCK!



Then the eggs "cooked" for 12 hours at 88 degrees when the AC broke down. So I moved them to a new building with "good" AC.



But the new building has a lot higher "bug level" than the house, as I raise my mice there, so then I had a lot of fruit flies and black flies finding their way into my almost-but-not-quite airtight egg container.



Finally, after three days in the "buggy" environment, the house AC was fixed, so I was able to bring them back into the house. I also placed them on brand new substrate, in a brand new container that IS airtight. But by this time the top egg and another one had turned a beautiful blue-green color, and two more eggs are deflating.



I need suggestions. All of these eggs that are going bad DID candle with veins in them, so they were at least partly fertile.



I know that some people use sphagnum moss, but the only sphagnum moss I've been able to find turns moldy within days of being moistened, so I wouldn't consider that a viable option or possibility.



I also have another king who is now on day 12 since she had her post-lay shed, and I'm starting to worry.... She's humongous!



Anyway, as always I appreciate suggestions or other help! Thanks in advance!

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~Sasheena

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