Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So one of my eastern milks (I now realize that I have a mated pair) unexpectedly dropped four eggs yesterday (and I didn't even brumate them). I put the eggs in a tupperware container and covered them about 90% with moist sphagnum moss and shredded fir and set this in a styrofoam cooler half filled with water heated to 88 degrees by an aquarium heater (the tupperware is above the water with a slightly ajar lid to keep condensation from soaking the contents). I was in a bit of a rush last night, will this "jerry-rigged" set-up do the trick? Any tips? Is the temperature good? How long for eastern milk eggs to hatch?
Never dealt with snake eggs before and you guys clearly have a ridiculous amoutn of knowledge on the subject. Thanks for any information in advance.

Now that I look further down the forum I see Wayne 13114 posted on 3/5/07 that the eggs should be kept at around 85 degrees, 90%, and they should hatchin around 65 days.
Is that the general consensus? Also any recommendations for my homemade incubator set-up? Thanks.

I have had great success with doing the following,...putting the eggs in a "RubberMaid", or "sterilite" container,filled with about an 1-1/2" or so of vermiculite(coarse),(some use Perlite), or you could use a combination of both. add enough water to make the mix moist, NOT wet(approx. a one to one ratio by weight). Also, do yourself a favor and "mark" the top side of the eggs with a pen. or waterbase, this prevents them from accidentally getting turned when you handle them(re-moistening, them, etc..) as the embryo can drown if they get turned(unlike bird eggs). Make sure you have plenty of small holes(approx. 1/8"-3/16" drilled, or melted(with soldering gun) in the sides of container, as well as the top(approx. 2" apart) for air exchange........lightly snuggle(indent) the eggs down in the mix just a little(don't burry them).....there are many ways to incubate them,....I have also used the aquarium heater method with great success, so we will go with that,....put a couple bricks down in the bottom of a larger container, fill with water so the brick stays above the water-line....heat the water with the aquarium heater, but put a readable thermometer on the vermiculite so you can monitor inside where the eggs are(very important).....go for a target temp. of between 81-84 degrees,....and you're in business!!....make sure you check the moisture content now and then to keep it optimum(usually about every two weeks or so) and watch the eggs for any tell-tale signs of denting(too dry), or over-swelling(too wet) conditions. Put the container on the bricks, and set the lid to the larger container on top leaving several inches opened on one end for air exchange, and they should be good to go! providing they where fertile to begin with. This seems very questionable, since you said no male was introduced!, but in any case,...if they were, they would start hatching at about 60-65 days.....................................................Doug

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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

Thanks again DMong. I'll bet the eggs are fertile. Actually, I have kept these two eastern milks in the same aquarium as long as I've had them and they must have just finally gotten around to mating. Never had a problem with them being aggressive to one another except during feeding and I keep a close eye on them then. I found one of the eggs just laying on the newspaper yesterday for I don't know how long and that's what triggered me to get an incubator set up and to set up a "lay box" for the remaining eggs. Think the one left exposed has a chance? Also, its not at all clear which end is "up" on the eggs b/c the female moved them around this morning when I removed her from the lay box. At this early a stage, before there's been much embryonic development does it matter which end is up? Won't the embryo adjust as it grows at least at this early stage?

Yeah,.......correct,.there won't be any problem with the way it is oriented this early, but once they are situated, keep them "marked-side-up" from now on, as it WILL effect them later on as the embryo grows and situates itself in the egg!....if the eggs look nice and white/beige, they should be good, take care,...................................Doug
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

While most tropical and central american milk eggs may do well with those temps and humidity, Easterns need much less. If you realize where they are found 85 is much too warm and will generally make the eggs hatch quicker...with smaller babies. You should keep the temps between 78-81, this allows for a bit of a safety margin. Lower temps make humidity easier to control too, but watch out because indoor humidity in the northern states' homes is very low now. As far as that last egg, if its not dessicated too much you should be able to add moisture like a sponge and bring it back. I incubate in deli cups with paper towels, which makes controlling humidity very easy. Make sure to keep your adults well hydrated now, that female has got to be going through LOTS of water to get her wieght back,Jeff

Jeff,...his number of 88 degrees certainly is, and I also agree with you about "leaning" toward slightly cooler temps, as opposed to hotter ones. But I don't see 81-84 as being too hot.Especially when you consider what a rotted pile of compost would have for a temp in nature,...even further north in the middle of the summer......beyond the temps I suggested would in my opinion, be getting too hot, but I've never had any problems with any species of egg....I have always had extremely high hatch ratios when I incubate,....some people just "throw" there eggs in a container, and whatever happens, happens. I always keep close tabs on what they look like, opening the box every couple days, and never let too much humidity collect on the lid that would allow the drops to fall back down directly on the eggs either......anyway, a little less will also work, Doug
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

Last year I did 11 eggs at 82 degrees and all 11 hatched.That is them on the lower left in the pic.

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"Upon Thy Belly Thou Shalt Go"

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"Upon Thy Belly Thou Shalt Go"