Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

A few days ago I was visiting my father and one of his employees showed me a clutch of black rat snake eggs they had accidently disturbed in a mulch pile. Apparently the female was still with the clutch and they hadn't stuck together yet. He had the eggs in a box filled with the leaves the mother had been laying them in.

I had a clutch of corn snake eggs just hatching out so I took them and set them up since I figure that has better odds than a box of leaves.

The thing is, I have no idea how much they were turned over when they were uncovered, or what kind of temps that box was getting. Am I wasting my time trying to incubate them? Or is it possible they would be okay if they were turned over that soon after they were laid?
Also, are there any particular differences in incubation between rat snakes and corn snakes I should know about as far as temps, humidity, or time goes?

Any input, advice, or encouragement is appreciated.
Cheers, Jessie
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Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.
Dennis Wholey

mother was still with them....under like 10 days from laid....

the chances are very very good they'll be fine...

I dropped a box of corn eggs...like 30- 35..?...they dropped all over the table, floor, bounced etc etc rolled all over...they were like 2 or 3 weeks into it....

most hatched...I lost like 6 of them late into it...and I think it was due to the temp spikes up to 88 all the time...most didn't mind that,they look fine..

so...set them up and hatch away...

I would ask to let them go where mother was/ they were laid...

thanks...good luck....

...
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too many puppies....are trained not to bark,,,at the sight of blood that must be spilled......to protect our oil fields.....too many puppies....too many p-p-p-p-puppies....

........JY.......

One big piece of info: How long were they in the box and what temps were they. Heck as long as they weren't badly dehydrated, and hadn't been exposed to extreme temps, I'd say there is an incredibly good chance to hatch them, in exactly the same manner you incubate your corn snakes. Those eggs are tougher than you think, if they weren't they'd never hatch in nature.
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Brian Suter

www.serpenteer.com

If the mother was still w/them and they hadn't adhered yet, I'd say, they were only HOURS old and probably hadn't established polarities yet! Like another poster said, incubate them like corns! They should be fine! Good luck!

"The thing is, I have no idea how much they were turned over when they were uncovered, or what kind of temps that box was getting. Am I wasting my time trying to incubate them? "
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As said, give them a try. If they were kept too warm, there's nothing you can do about it now except try.
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Turning snake eggs occasionally, within reason of course, doesn't generally harm them.
Just don't do it with turtle eggs....
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Colubrid eggs are easy to hatch and tough as hell. Just look at how many people screw up like mad but get maybe one or two aspects of incubation right and still hatch out babies... as I say about my job, not rocket science and a mostly idiot work.

Someone posted their egg box for hognose eggs a while back and the eggs were covered in wet moss and there was water droplets all over the box, they said they always hatch their eggs like that...hognose are a snake of sandy, well drain, upland habitat that lay their eggs in dry sand there is nothing but the temps that can be right about their egg box. Point is, go for it and you will likely get better, bigger, healthier hatchlings than your corns were.

Gravid wild hognose digging a nest chamber

Jason

yep, go 4 it. Jason those hoggy lay pics slay me!
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Todd Hughes