Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click here for Dragon Serpents
Click for ZooMed
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You

To Cut or Not to Cut?

feathers_first Jun 01, 2012 01:47 PM

So, I am back and could use some opinions. We have our first clutch of ball eggs, we had 11 and are down to 5 but these five look great. Nice healthy veins and can see them moving inside the eggs when candled. My question is, I know a lot of people cut their eggs and while I planned on letting them hatch on their own, today is day 60 and I'm still seeing no signs of pipping. They have been incubated at 89 degrees in a hovabator and I expected to see pipping by now. It's almost 3pm now on day 60 and I'm wondering if maybe we should go ahead and cut? My concern is that I've never had snake eggs before and aside from watching tons of youtube videos on cutting eggs, I've never been shown how to do it in person and I don't want to hurt them in any way. I'm actually a parrot breeder so I'm a bit new to having soft eggs that cutting is even an option. What do you guys think? Should I just let them all go until they hatch, should I wait for a certain time today and then cut one or all? I need suggestions!

Replies (7)

Feathers_First Jun 01, 2012 03:57 PM

Ended up cutting all 5 eggs, went well, all clean cuts except one, I nicked one of those tiny little veins but all of the big ones are intact and the babies look good. It looks like 4 pastels and 1 normal but I'm not calling it until they come out, I only did pretty small cuts. The one baby looked to be upside down, is this normal? Should I be worried? They were all moving around in their eggs last night.

CaseyWagner Jun 01, 2012 07:57 PM

upsidedown is ok....some stay like that untill hatching just to keep u guessing....

Feathers_First Jun 01, 2012 08:31 PM

They are all still in their eggs at 9:30pm on day 60, is this normal?

kangaskritters Jun 01, 2012 09:47 PM

Totally fine. They'll come out when they're ready.

spider916 Jun 01, 2012 09:48 PM

I know it's hard but be patient. As my general rule I only cut eggs after one pips on it's own. Even then I don't cut for 24 hrs after that first one pips. Once open I have had babies sit in the egg for up to 4 days just absorbing the lastof their yolk. You don't want them to emerge before they are ready just because you are ready. As long as they are moving and you have made a big enough opening they will come out when ready. 60 days is just an average. I have had clutches hatch on their own at day 56 while others hatch at day 63, all in the same incubator and at same temp. Hope this sets your mind at ease a little

Feathers_First Jun 03, 2012 12:23 PM

Day 62 and they still haven't come out :/ All are still alive, just taking their good old time I suppose...

kangaskritters Jun 03, 2012 01:41 PM

They need to absorb their yolks. Give them the time they need. They'll know when it's time to come out.

Site Tools