Reptile & Amphibian Forums

what day do people put the date of birth ? the day the snake pokes its head out and takes its first breath ? or the day it comes all the way out of its egg , witch can be sevral days between ..what do you do ? thanks .

JIM

Most of the time you see the date the clutch hatched, not the day they were dropped. Andy
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Who are you who can say it's ok to live through me? Alice In Chains

I think the question involves emergence from the egg, which might begin one day and be finished the next. In that case, I'd probably go with the first emergence of the head from the egg, but I don't really know. Good question!
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MichaelB

I don't think it really matters. Either one is "close enough for Government work". I usually go by the day I find the little snake out of the egg and crawling around.

Hi Jim -

I record both the date (and time) pipped and hatched.

On the individual animal’s record card I record the date hatched – the day it made its final break with life in the egg and crawled on out.

I also keep a record card of the entire clutch of eggs. The information I have on this card varies depending on whether or not I am able to separate the individual eggs or if I must leave them in an adherent mass. If I can identify which individual goes with which egg, then in addition to hatching date and time I record the date and time the animal pipped (slashed the first opening in the eggshell even if I don’t see its nose poking out).

-Joan

just as I thought , every one seems to have a different way of doing things. I think I will go with there first breath of air . thanks for all the apinions.

JIM