Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Talk about your crash and burn clutch
6 fertile, 1 went bad at day 20,2 fully developed died in egg, 3 were very kinked and upper jaws were undeveloped and no eye sockets. These were pos hets for lav , Any opinions on the deformaties? These eggs were incubated as a cluster ....Maybe the difference in temp and humidity ? Temp was 89 degrees. Today was day 75 , Hope the next clutch goes better than this one!

have you checked to see that your thermometer is calibrated properly?

There is no way BP eggs ever take 75 days to hatch at 89 degrees. most of mine take 54-56 days at that temp. I've never had one go more than 61 days. Yours took a full 2 weeks past my longest.

My guess is your temps were too low....but its just a guess. Double check your thermo against a stadard (boiling water, ice water)

Wow that sucks. I hope this next season is better for you.

I have to agree. I've never heard of BP eggs going 75 days. I incubated at 89 and all 3 of my clutches pipped at 58 days.
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

Sounds like they got wet early on. Did you wet them at all trying to seperate them when they were laid?
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http://www.jasballpythons.com./

I didnt try to seperate, My digital thermometer with min and max memory indicated 87-89 .I have checked temps with my temp gun and always was around 87-89 Im suspecting it was my fault!
I had them set up for no substrate method but after a week they started to dent? I transfered then to vermerculite but was very careful and made sure the substrate and water was at the correct temp and they were in the exact position as before. Im switching to hatchrite next season!!!!!

>>I didnt try to seperate, My digital thermometer with min and max memory indicated 87-89 .I have checked temps with my temp gun and always was around 87-89 Im suspecting it was my fault!
>>I had them set up for no substrate method but after a week they started to dent? I transfered then to vermerculite but was very careful and made sure the substrate and water was at the correct temp and they were in the exact position as before. Im switching to hatchrite next season!!!!!

Were the eggs directly on the perlite,or did you use the egg crate light diffuser between them and the perlite?...Was the container airtight?...Was the perlite floating on the water inside?...Was the container airtight..Were the boxes tilted,so the condensation would not "rain' onto the eggs?
Not trying to go third degree on you by any means...It's just that I've been real fortunate with the no-sub method so far...and I'm curious.
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Charles Glaspie

I used the difuser panel , Airtight container, I used pvc spacers between difuser panel and tub,I did not tilt the tubs ?
I believe the eggs were a bit dry from the start, I freaked when they looked dented , I dont believe it was due to the no substrate method , I think they were a bit dry when found in the tub with the female.They really never plumped up ? But they seemed to be progressing ? I have the temp probe about 1/4 in from eggs in the air not in the substrate ? Can you give me a step by step of your setup? I do have a small fan running in the incubator ........A computer case fan! I have a clutch in the incubator now at day 20.......Im starting to dought my incubator setup ! I really wanted those hets this season! Im pissed!!!!!!!!! Ive heard good things about hatchrite !

I alwo used the no substrate method. I used pearlit e and water I could not find vermiculite, I used to layers of difuser. It worked great. I used a hovabator with no fan. Airtight containers. I once a week opened containers and let air in. I had ten eggs I lost one baby after it piped. But all others did great.

>>I used the difuser panel , Airtight container, I used pvc spacers between difuser panel and tub,I did not tilt the tubs ?
>>I believe the eggs were a bit dry from the start, I freaked when they looked dented , I dont believe it was due to the no substrate method , I think they were a bit dry when found in the tub with the female.They really never plumped up ? But they seemed to be progressing ? I have the temp probe about 1/4 in from eggs in the air not in the substrate ? Can you give me a step by step of your setup? I do have a small fan running in the incubator ........A computer case fan! I have a clutch in the incubator now at day 20.......Im starting to dought my incubator setup ! I really wanted those hets this season! Im pissed!!!!!!!!! Ive heard good things about hatchrite !

I have my thermostat probe at the top of a standup freezer(about three inches from the ceiling).The heat panels i am using are all on the bottom.
Then i have two fans running.One on the door(pointing down),and another on the bottom(pointing towards the back).Neither of which are blowing directly at any egg boxes..
The door of the freezer is jam packed with 2-liter soda bottles refilled with water,and the temp is set at 89.3
Egg boxes are sealed with plastic wrap if they are not 100% air tight,and i tilt them if i see rain occur.Which is why the perlite is so great,it floats!So when the boxes are tilted,the perlite will keep the eggcrate level.

Send me an im if you want my number,and i may be able to help decipher any possible issues you may have.
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Charles Glaspie

I've heard of an experiment the Barker's did with Burmese python eggs and switching from dry to wet and wet to dry. I think the conclusion was that eggs don't like change. Probably better to stick with the same conditions even if a little non optimal than to change either direction. Or at least don't make drastic changes.

I wonder if the defects caused them to hatch late? Like something caused the defect and then they developed late or couldn’t get out but not a direct link between the defect cause and the late hatch. Low temp also would have been my first guess but if you can for sure rule that out ...

changing from wet to dry or dry to wet will kill the eggs just like Dave Barker says.......did it this year and it works.......they die......

....dented eggs right away will make them be runts or die......

kinks come from alot of things....

I killed more eggs this year than I like to kill in a lifetime.......60?.....

and here it is...kinks and no eyes happen.....but what you did probably did not cause it......they would/ should have died not gotten genetically defected.....

as for temps..I have a batch go 64 days and one started pipping at 69......and they weren't kinked ........they were at 89 I think......then the batchs started coming out right around the 54-56 day average later on...

?>????????????......what temps was the female at while she was gravid???????.....that causes the late hatches.low temps on the female........

your eggs were probably 87 also...........recheck thermometer and get 2 or 3 of them and a gun.....

......and bump up female ?...unless she was 95 then she was too hot.......

females like it around 85 here.......?.......

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sell them all............
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mother too hot? too cold OR was she skinny?........

age?

........bad babies happen...if she does it again.....sell her.......and use a different male next year........

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sell them all............
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Thanks for all the input .........Im due for a larger incubator this season , I will put some major effort into the ultimate bator! Thats what I love about this forum......Everyone has different views and really adds to discussion. One thing I will watch more closely is tub temps of gravid and ovulating females!!!!Dut to the fact Im confident the temps were perfect in the bator maybe the defects occured between ovulation and laying? This season I will try the no substrate method and hatchrite as a test of success. One questions ? I see some breeders are placing there temp probe on the upper shelf of the bator and I have my probe in the tub within 1/2 inch of the eggs.
Can everyone chime in on there probe location and why? Some friends of mine convinced me in the tub close to the clutch but not in the substrate is best. Good luck to everyone this season and may we all learn from each other!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks Bryan