Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is that what the inside of the egg boxes should be at empty? I built my inc out of an old freezer with 6ft of 11" heat tape and a dbs-1000 thermostat and the 3 shelves in the incubator keep the INSIDE of the egg boxes at 87, 88 and 88. All 99% humidity. Using pearlite at 100% weight to 100% weight of water. . . Thought about using egg crate but thought I would start with the basics so I have it all set up full of egg boxes filled with pearlite and its been running for 30 days. Am I on the right track (besides the fans yet to come)
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1.0 Sunrise (sshhh)
1.0 Yellow Belly
1.0 Het pied
1.0 Pastel
1.0 nerd hypo
1.0 Spider Het hypo
0.5 Het nerd hypo
0.2 poss Het nerd hypo
0.1 poss Het albino
0.1 het pied
0.6 Breeder normals
0.1 black pastel (unproven)
0.1 Tiger ball (unproven)
0.1 genetic reduced pattern
0.1 mojave (best looking one ever! thanks Jeff Luman)
0.1 Pastel Het ghost
0.1 BCI 8ft
1.0 snow corn
0.1 albino Het snow corn Laid 14! Gravid again!!
0.1 amel corn laid 20!
0.1 amel corn
0.1 ghost motley corn
0.1 blue tail monitor
2.0 Reed frogs
2.2 felines aka boa food ;o
And I am not gonna count all those rats . . .

Brian
Brianhettinger@hotmail.com

definately on the right track! I have a very similar setup, using a floor freezer. The fans are a plus, but I've hatched hundreds of eggs out of mine over the last couple years without one. I use vermiculite with the same weight/water ratio. As far as the temp, it depends on what your incubating. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Eric
Auburn Reptile Company
eric@auburnreptilecompany.com

Im going to be incubating ball python eggs (if they would lay already lol). My corn eggs have been incubating in a tub in my rack at 82/83 and are about 49 days in to it . . . .oh boy! Can't wait for that first clutch to start pipin . . .
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1.0 Sunrise (sshhh)
1.0 Yellow Belly
1.0 Het pied
1.0 Pastel
1.0 nerd hypo
1.0 Spider Het hypo
0.5 Het nerd hypo
0.2 poss Het nerd hypo
0.1 poss Het albino
0.1 het pied
0.6 Breeder normals
0.1 black pastel (unproven)
0.1 Tiger ball (unproven)
0.1 genetic reduced pattern
0.1 mojave (best looking one ever! thanks Jeff Luman)
0.1 Pastel Het ghost
0.1 BCI 8ft
1.0 snow corn
0.1 albino Het snow corn Laid 14! Gravid again!!
0.1 amel corn laid 20!
0.1 amel corn
0.1 ghost motley corn
0.1 blue tail monitor
2.0 Reed frogs
2.2 felines aka boa food ;o
And I am not gonna count all those rats . . .

Brian
Brianhettinger@hotmail.com

88-90 degrees......
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

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

Brian:

I would say that you are on the right track.

Your ratio of perlite to water is right on.

First reccomendation I have is to drill a 1/8 " diameter hole at both ends of your nest box above the perlite. The humidity of the egg's environment will change during the 60 or so days of incubation. They will actually increase their own surrounding humidity. Through observation I have noticed the top of the nest box becomes very wet at times almost dripping during the later part of incubation. The 1/8 hole will help the humidity to remain constant during incubation. Many big name breeders will manually open the lids of each nest box each day for a few seconds to allow for this ventalation to occur. I'm not saying this practice is wrong, but having the hole at each end of the nest box allows that step to be eliminated from the process.

As far as the fan goes I don't use one. I never have and I never will. Again I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that I don't think it's necessary. In the wild there are no fans where these snakes incubate their eggs.

The bottom line is there are many ways to incubate snake eggs. Your goal as a snake breeder is to find out which way works for you and stick with it.

The best of luck with your season.

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Brian Gundy

www.for-goodness-snakes.com

>>Is that what the inside of the egg boxes should be at empty? I built my inc out of an old freezer with 6ft of 11" heat tape and a dbs-1000 thermostat and the 3 shelves in the incubator keep the INSIDE of the egg boxes at 87, 88 and 88. All 99% humidity. Using pearlite at 100% weight to 100% weight of water. . . Thought about using egg crate but thought I would start with the basics so I have it all set up full of egg boxes filled with pearlite and its been running for 30 days. Am I on the right track (besides the fans yet to come)
>>

I would think it best to go with vermiculite(or a mix)if you are not going to use any plastic eggcrate..As perlite isn't the best substrate.It's always going to be to dry to the surface of the egg.Which will dehydrate them.(Or super saturated,and the eggs will sink.)

However...If you want to use the no-substrate method (which is what i do),then simply add the eggcrate and it's ready to go.(This does require air tight boxes though.So that the eggs can get their moisture from the air.)

good luck

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Charles Glaspie
http://www.myspace.com/coldthumb