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Found this to be a vary interesting article on the difference in incubation types and the results. Size , Health, Survival rate Etc.........A must read
Link

>>Found this to be a vary interesting article on the difference in incubation types and the results. Size , Health, Survival rate Etc.........A must read
>>Link

Looks like a regurgitated article from the same authors from 2002:

Clutch size manipulation, hatching success and offspring
phenotype in the ball python (Python regius)

The full link is on my Articles page.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

Yep- and the OP's subj. line is a bit misleading. It's not a look at maternal incubation in captivity vs. artificial incubation. It's more of a look at maternal incubation in a semi-natural state vs. having that maternal incubation withheld for various times.

My point being is that it would be very interesting to look at the same type of data for true captive maternal incubation, say in a tub in a rack system, vs true arttificial incubation done properly. I would be the results would be completely opposite. I for one NEVER have a dessication issue with my eggs. They stay full and plump for the duration of incubation, or dimple just slightly very close to hatching.

I guess my feeling is that people shouldn't look at this studay and feel like it indicates that maternal incubation is superior to artificial...that would not be an appropriate conclusion from that data...

sorry for the typos...

Yep- and the OP's subj. line is a bit misleading. It's not a look at maternal incubation in captivity vs. artificial incubation.

I agree. For a better, not best but certainly better comparison, see this link (you need Adobe PDF, which is free):

I guess my feeling is that people shouldn't look at this studay and feel like it indicates that maternal incubation is superior to artificial...that would not be an appropriate conclusion from that data...

Agreed. Still, it does have some good information.

Link

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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

So one angle is how does maternal incubation vs. artificial affect the offspring. The other angle then is how mom responds.

I've heard some suggest that females who have recently been brooding have some ability to "catch up" to a mom who had her eggs taken and has been eating all along. Maybe there is some change in metabolism...who knows. Interesting stuff...

This explains the advantage of maternal incubation in the wild (prevention of dehydration of the eggs). In a captive bred program this advantage doesn't hold since we prevent dehydration by proper incubation techniques. What I did find interesting was the temperature of the natural nest sites. The mean temps ranged from approximately 84 to 87 degrees F, which is lower that the traditionally recommended temps fro artificial incubation. It might be interesting to incubate some clutches at this lower temperature and compare birth weights,feeding responses,etc. to hatchlings incubated at the traditionally higher temps of 88 to90 degrees F.Rin

>>This explains the advantage of maternal incubation in the wild (prevention of dehydration of the eggs). In a captive bred program this advantage doesn't hold since we prevent dehydration by proper incubation techniques. What I did find interesting was the temperature of the natural nest sites. The mean temps ranged from approximately 84 to 87 degrees F, which is lower that the traditionally recommended temps fro artificial incubation. It might be interesting to incubate some clutches at this lower temperature and compare birth weights,feeding responses,etc. to hatchlings incubated at the traditionally higher temps of 88 to90 degrees F.Rin

I cooked my last two clutches at 88.3F(all previous clutches were at 89.5F).Since they came out perfect(and yes,rather large,but how much is just genetic?),then i am going to try a few at 87.5 this year...why not...Also,I too utilize the no sub method that JP does.It has given me a 100% hatch rate,at all temps applied.
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Charles Glaspie

I didnt mean to mislead anyone!
I just thought the info was interesting. I should have had a different subject line I guess. This was the first data I have seen on the subject in such detail. Good luck to all in the upcoming season!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think anyone thinks that was your intent. Just that the material looked real familiar to me (of course, I had already read a few years earlier from the same authors LOL). Some authors, for various reasons repackage research data and add a different title. The information is still good though.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles