Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had 8 eggs laid on October 27, 2007. Incubating them on moist vermiculite in an Avery incubator at 90 degrees. I open the containers once a week to exchange fresh air and wipe (dry) the sides of the containers. They've looked perfect the whole time (nice and white and plump). On Christmas Day I got impatient and slit an egg open to find a perfectly developed baby inside, but it still had a large amount of yolk unabsorbed. I put that egg in it's own sealed container and it eventually perished. The remaining 7 eggs have all begun to dimple over the past week, but no signs of slitting/pipping. Today is 68 days and from what I've read that seems like a long time. What should I do?

I've had some go that long at 88 deg. They are OK or there not but cutting them open isn't the answer . If a couple had hatched I might slit them. Give them a little more time. Good luck Claude

Once the first one pips.....if they do...then go ahead and slit the others.

Jason

really at 90 degrees. They don't take that long at 90. Do you have a probe on the eggs, or just in the incubator.
Mike

The incubator has a helix thermostat. I don't have a probe on the eggs. I can check the temps inside the box and compare.

The temp of the eggs is what counts, not the incubator. Eggs just don't take that long. I know bird eggs and snake eggs aren't the same, but when bird eggs hatch a day or two later than what they are supposed to take the directions say next batch to increase the temp a half degree or so. Eggs are supposed to hatch in a certain number of days, give or take a little.
Mike

You really need to check egg temps !
I would put your probe right next to an egg and monitor with a second thermometer. As soon as one egg pips, Because of the length of time you may want to slit the rest. If you candle them do you see any movement? My last clutch went 63 days...
One died in the egg fully developed and I believe it lost its egg tooth due to the long incubation. Good luck
i know it's stressful!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it possible you miscounted the days? You're only 8 days past normal incubation!

No chance I miscounted the days. I did take the advise offered earlier and put a thermometer probe (not from the helix) directly into one of the containers next to an egg and it's reading 83-85 degrees even though the helix says the incubator is at 90??? I like the idea of waiting for the first egg to pip and then after 24-hours if the others haven't I will carefully slit them. Sound good?

If that's been the temp of the eggs all along, then no wonder they have been incubating so along. You're near the lethal minimum there.....
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Brad Chambers

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

I agree with brad!
I would recommend putting the probe from your thermostat in your egg container close to an egg and try to slowly raise temps until you achieve 89 degrees. Can you give a description of your setup? If temps have been this cool the whole time if they hatch it will be a while!
hope everything goes well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

just wondering how the eggs are doing after you warmed up the tempature if they hached post some pictures

As a matter of fact, the first one is completely out this morning and 2 more heads are popped through. 2 more eggs have egg tooth slits. It's a good day. 75 days!!! I'll take some pics later, but just to warn you they're just normals.