Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have noticed alot of you use the nonsub method and until a few weeks ago I was unaware of this method. I got VPI and Dr.Seward's videos when they came out years ago and have studied them through out. Which method has better outcome,or easier to maintain, what are the benefits from one to the other? The videos dont really mention the nonsub.

I'm sorta the local "champion" of the no-sub method. I've been using it since '04, with great success. I've shared it with others here who have also had great success. So far this year, I have hatched 21 of 22 eggs that were laid (three clutches), and I'm not sure that 22nd egg was ever fertile to begin with. It had gone noticeably bad after the first week. I have two other clutches well into their incubation period with 100% still alive and going strong. I do not have to worry about eggs dimpling too early, or the eggs getting too wet, leading to mold/dead eggs, etc. The beauty of this system is that eggs are kept right at 100% humidity, but stay completely bone dry.

I will never use any other method. I've found this method to be far superior to tradional "eggs burried in the substrate" incubation. The "big guys" you mentioned use a whole room as their incubator, which allows them to house every single clutch individually in a large stryo or plastic box. In a small egg box in a small incubator, this method is harder to control.

Having said all that, there are plenty of folks who use small incubators with a traditional in substrate method with great success. Remember, incubating eggs is fairly easy. Keep them at a constant appropriate temperature and proper humidity, they will hatch. How you meet those needs is really irelevant.

Good luck!

So do you perilite and not vermiculite? What is the mix ratio? and like the other guy asked, do you still cover each tub.

I use (and reccomend) straight perlite. Get it soaking wet, not just damp. The idea is to humidify the air. Place in a piece of fluorescent light diffuser from the home improvement store. Each egg box needs a tight fitting lid, but it should not be air tight. Get the box up to temp a couple days prior to getting the eggs. Make sure the eggs do not touch the lid or sides of the egg box. Check on the eggs about once a week at first, then every few days during the last couple of weeks of incubation. Otherwise, do not open the egg box. Really any substrate would probably do. In my pictures in the thread below you see I even used sphagnum moss, although not for the entire incubation period (I sometimes keep more than one clutch per egg box, and move a clutch to their own box just before hatching). You can see some pics on my website...look especially at the '05 and '07 clutches (we did not produce any ball pythons in '06, we were busy with a new born human hatchling). Also, I have an article published in the August '07 Reptiles magazine with info on this method as well as incubator construction.
Joe Pociask - My site...

Thanks for the info, I'm also going to read the article in the mag.-Phillip

JP was showing pics on here in 05 when i got my first eggs.It looked like a good idea so i tried it.Both of my clutches hatched out fine that year...Everything i have incubated this way since then,has hatched out.This method just cuts out so many of the possible pitfalls,and stumbling blocks i have seen others have with vermiculite.That i don't think i will ever even try it(,again...lol).
Besides,JP is right about the big rooms that big breeders use.If i had space for a five gallon bucket of vermicilite for all my clutches(Which is,what i guess they have found to be the minimum amount of water ration needed for the 60 day duration.),then maybe i could use vermiculite,but not in my teeny tiny incubator!...I need all the space i can get!
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Charles Glaspie

I am very curious to find out more on this method. Can you go into detail about how it is done, what is needed, and possibly some pictures of a set-up? Do you still cover the individual egg boxes or is there a water tray at the bottom of the incubator? Thanks for the help.

Steve