Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I currently have 12 fertile eggs incubating. Some of them are starting to dent slightly and get a bit soft.

Is this always from a lack of humidity? Or?

Thanks,
Chris
-----
Chris Foley

Usualy about 2 weeks or so prior to hatching they will do this. If it is earlier than that, you may want to add some water to the substrate.

They have only been incubating about 2 weeks. They are glowing very red, with veins, and appeared very healthy until today- some were denting a bit. The humidity appears very high in the cage, but the substrate actually isnt that wet anymore. I will add some water to it and see how they do.

Thanks
-----
Chris Foley

Are they in an incubator, or are they being maternaly incubated? They should not be denting after 2 weeks I don't think.

They are in an incubator.

I know this is not okay, hence why I am asking. I know normally the cause is less than preferrable humidity...but can it be anything else? The eggs are still glowing nice and red.

Thanks,
Chris
-----
Chris Foley

Chris do you have a pic of these eggs? I would like to see what exactly they look like- If there veins are fine you should be good- but they shouldnt be denting after 2 weeks- add alittle water but not to much we dont want them to spot-
-----
Just as addicted as the rest of you- this is the life

eggs shouldn't be denting so early. Only two possible causes. Not enough humidity, or the eggs aren't fetile. When you say they are glowing red, what do you mean? In a good egg you should be able to clearly see many veins when candled, not just a reddish hue. Also, post a pic or describe your incubation set up.

They are definitely fertile. Not only are they glowing red, but there are veins all over all of the eggs.

Thanks
-----
Chris Foley

Sounds like not enough humidity. I've had plenty of trouble with that and childreni eggs but found a solution that works very well to keep the humidity up including using sphagnum and a submersible heater. In two weeks they really shouldn't be collapsing, but nice and round I'm not sure what you mean about 'red veins' all over. Definitely post a pic so we can see! I've attached a pic of our recently hatched clutch of eggs for comparison.

Try ringing the medium out and making it more on the dry side. It could save your eggs. Let me explain.

The first clutch of Childrens eggs I hatched out last year had too much humidity but they did alright. They bloated and spotted but still hatched.

I learned later from Australian Addiction's website that Antaresia dont need as much humidity as other python eggs.

For example, (bare w/ me now) this year I put my first childrens clutch in my homemade incubator that uses the no substrate method. I followed the design by Damon Salcies of albinochondro.com
That incubator is kindof an over kill for my needs since I dont breed GTP's but I wanted to build it nonetheless and I like the no substrate method. It works well. HOWEVER, the no-substrate method does not work as well for Antaresia because it provides too much humidity just as even too much water in a medium like vermiculite could. I can incubate my ball eggs just fine in my fancy incubator but when I stuck my Childrens eggs in it a couple months ago I noticed that they started to dent farely quickly. Thats when I remembered what I had read from Australian Addiction. So this year I put the eggs back in a hovabator with vermiculite but I kept it drier than I usual.

Sorry for the long explanation. The reason I tell you all of this is to say that your problem may not be a lack of humidity but maybe you have too much instead.

Heres how prepared the vermiculite for this years clutch.
I mixed it with water and squeezed it as tight as possible to ring the water out, but then instead of using it as is like most people would, I added a little more vermiculite to the moist mixture makeing it slightly on the dry side. This had me a little concerned at first but it has worked like a charm.
Its true!!! They do better on the dry side. Temp@89 /- two or three degrees.
My eggs have stayed tight full term with no water spots and are just now starting to dimple becuase theyre due in about a week.

Hope this helps.
Brendan Saffron