Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, I slit the eggs the other day, and saw fully formed babies inside. On one of them I slit it a bit more the next day to see if there would be movement if I nudged it. Nothing. After a bit of gentle prodding it moved, just a little. That was yesterday.

This morning I went to check on it and it wasn't moving one bit. No matter now much I nudged. I decided to pull it out just a bit and it was just limp. I pulled it out the rest of the way, leaving the cord attatched, and it was lifeless. Just in case, I put the bakc half back in the egg and checked on it a bit ago. Still in the same position. So, I'm convinced that it's dead.

I haven't touched the other egg since I slit it originally, and I'm not going to. I don't know if I killed the baby, or if it was just too weak anyway. Either way I am bummed.

I am going crazy over here! None of my eggs are hatching and they are taking way longer than I was anticipating. I'll just try and be as patient as I can, and hopefully some of them will hatch. I increased the temp to 79F, so maybe that will help.

Uggghh...

-----
Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

Aubrey,

I'm really sorry about that. That stinks. But I doubt slitting the egg had anything to do with the neonate's death. Did the shell feel thick? If so, I would slit others in an attempt to release them. Either way its a bummer.

Craig
-----
God Bless Evolution.

No, the eggs don't seem particularily thick. Just seem like normal eggs to me. Who knows.
-----
Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

Aubrey,
I would immediately slit them ALL....

That is a fully formed neonate that either could not get out of its egg shell......Or was already dead....Sometimes you will nudge them and the yolk will move the snake.....And you will think the snake is alive....

The eggs are done...Maybe you can save the others.....
-----
John Lassiter

"Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part....."

In this clutch there were only two good eggs. I slit them both, but this one was the only one that I really messed with. The other one hasn't come out, and I haven't poked or pulled at all. Should I?
-----
Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

>>In this clutch there were only two good eggs. I slit them both, but this one was the only one that I really messed with. The other one hasn't come out, and I haven't poked or pulled at all. Should I?

I would nudge it to see if it moves.....Don't pull it out
-----
John Lassiter

"Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part....."

Agreed Aubrey nudge, don't poke and leave it in. I am sorry about the other. Been there, done that. And leave the slit open.
-----
Todd Hughes

Aubrey,
I am so sorry you lost that one. I agree with the others, I would nudge it. I usually use the pointed end of a dental instrument or tooth pic and lightly poke it and see if it moves that way I know for sure its the baby that moves.
I
-----
Michelle
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Well, I opened the slit I had made to nudge the baby, but it was so far on the bottom of the egg I could barely make out some red coloration... assuming an MSP. There was yolk blocking my view, and I didn't want to break it up. Any other suggestions, or should I just wait it out a few more days? I would assume that if it is a healthy baby it would venture out on it's own when it is ready.

Perhaps I am getting too impatient. I won't touch any of my other clutches after this experience. If they don't hatch, they probably weren't meant to be anyway.
-----
Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

>>Perhaps I am getting too impatient. I won't touch any of my other clutches after this experience. If they don't hatch, they probably weren't meant to be anyway.

Leave it in there.....Maybe it will emerge or it could have died long ago before it absorbed the yolk...
You did nothing wrong in slitting the eggs...
I suggest that you look back at the incubation techniques you used...Maybe invest in a digitally controlled incubator....or something...I dunno...

Does your thermometer have a setting that reads lowest and highest recorded temps? Maybe there was a fluctuation (high or low temp) that caused this...these are just speculations....

Aubrey...there are many sad things that happen when selectively breeding animals...But IMHO the ones that "make it" outweigh the ones that didn't....Enjoy all the ones you did hatch out...

Step in reverse everything you did to try and incubate these eggs.....Perfect it by next season...That is all you can do...

I am sorry for the one (or two) that did not make it, but I have no doubt in my mind they should have hatched earlier than the present date...
You were certainly more patient than me.....
Regards,
-----
John Lassiter

"Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part....."

And especially thank you, John. You have been so consistantly helpful and I really appreiciate it! This is only my 3rd year breeding snakes, so I am still learning. I have never had eggs go this long before, and I'm wearing a path in the floor waiting for them to hatch.

My incubator is controlled by a Helix Thermostat. I have a digital thermometer inside that records the min and max temps from two different areas of the incubator. I also have a fan that circulates the air to try to keep an even temp. The min/max temps are within a safe range.

I will just sit on my hands for now and hope for the best for the rest of the eggs. I have a lot of fertile looking eggs in there and I really hope that these first couple clutches were a fluke. Hopefully I'll have some pippy pictures in the near future!
-----
Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

You are very welcome Aubrey...You will have many neonates emerge and it will be awesome....And there is always next year....
I hope I have some hatch out myself...If not, I will adjust and try again.....

You gotta take the bad with the good ya know....
The good always outweighs the bad in this hobby....
-----
John Lassiter

"Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part....."

Hang in there Aubrey!
-----
Todd Hughes

This kind of thing happens. Generally my thayeri hatch out in ~60 days at 82 degrees. Cooler would take longer. You mentioned nudging up TO 79. What temp did you incubate at and how long did they go till you slit the first egg? The reason I ask is because the expired neonate looks just a tad early to me.
-----
“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

I incubated at 77F and slit at about 76 or 78 days... can't remember exactly now.
-----
Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com