Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After having a clutch nearly destroyed last year due to flies I decided to use the closed container method this year. I have been letting air in every few days for the first 40 days or so. Then once everyday. I decided last night to poke a few holes in the lid and laid fly tape loosely on top. The flies were horrible a couple weeks ago. The eggs are due around the 8th. Results have been great so far. No flies at all. I even saw a baby move inside the egg while candling last night.
How often do you guys let fresh air in? Do you at some point during incubation just let the air in close to the hatch date?
Thanks in advance

>>After having a clutch nearly destroyed last year due to flies I decided to use the closed container method this year. I have been letting air in every few days for the first 40 days or so. Then once everyday. I decided last night to poke a few holes in the lid and laid fly tape loosely on top. The flies were horrible a couple weeks ago. The eggs are due around the 8th. Results have been great so far. No flies at all. I even saw a baby move inside the egg while candling last night.
>>How often do you guys let fresh air in? Do you at some point during incubation just let the air in close to the hatch date?
>>Thanks in advance

I remove the lid a couple times a week and fan them to "replace the air" and I do not candle them so late in the incubation period......Only a week or so after they are laid is all.....

Light cannot be a good thing as eggs are laid in the dark and do best in total darkness (IMHO).....
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...

I used pipe screens to try to keep out the pesky critters, but still they manage to get in. However I have noticed that if an egg is good they don't seem to bother it unless it is attached to an egg that is going rotten. Then the flies lay eggs on the nasty egg, and the worms migrate over to the good egg. This year I made a great effort to spot bad eggs early and remove them from the trays. This has helped a great deal. One thing I like to do if at all possible is separate the eggs when they are freshly laid, and place them spaced apart. That way it's much easier to throw a bad egg away, as times goes on. I don't always find them in time, but bad eggs tend to not adhere as well as a good egg. I remember someone also mentioned using panty hose to keep the tiny buggers out. I may try that next year? So far this year I have not had any real problems with flies.

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Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com

Very cool jorge... I did the same thing with pieces of fly tape. We'll see if it catches any. Btw anything else hatch out yet? Those florida babys look nice. I want some! It looks like both of my female savus will be laying some eggs. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I was considering MI for one if not both. Again the flies are a concern. They seem to be dissapearing since I put up fly tape everywhere but there are still a few. Plus I don't have an incubator so I would have to make one. I can put them directly on top of my gtp cage its a steady 87 up there. That would be bottom heat though. Not to sure I want to do that.

What's MI Anyway just had 11 Blue racer eggs hatch, lol. I really like those. I have a clutch of Granite Corns pipping, and have lot's more stuff cooking. I don't use an incubator, I just leave the eggs in the snake room.
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Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com

Maternal incubation. Python mothers coil around their eggs and use different methods to create heat and moisture to incubate the eggs. Methods vary from species to species.

Every two or three days. I'd handle the eggs as little as possible. When you are separating eggs do you ever disturb the egg surface more than you wished?

I too have been using the closed container system for the first time this year. I have so far had 10 clutches hatch out with the best success I have ever had! I have done as mentioned, opening the container at least twice a week and fanning in some good fresh air. I still have a few of the little buggers to deal with, but it has been greatly reduced with this system. Thanks to Mr. Dunham AND THE OTHERS on this forum for sharing their good advice and helpful information!

Wishing you success too.

--Dennis

Thanks for the responses... I see your point John. And yes I do feel like I handled them to much. I have mostly been doing as you guys said twice a week. I did handle one egg several times to treat it for mold. I used a foot cream. It will be interesting to see if it hatches out I handled it quite a bit. As for the others, I picked them up gently and did not rotate or turn them over. I just took a quick peak for mold and added some dry vermiculite under each egg. Most of them were a little soggy on the bottom but only one had mold. The mold stopped growing after three applications. I will keep everyone posted on the results. Thanks again

Gotta be careful with using anti-fungal cream Though. It could prevent air from getting through the porous shell if you cover to much of the egg's surface.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Good thought Doug... I covered 10% or less. I caught onto the excess moisture early so it was only a little spot. I saw on a previous post you had some rainbow boas. Do you keep any pythons? Have you ever done any Maternal incubations?

"Good thought Doug... I covered 10% or less. I caught onto the excess moisture early so it was only a little spot. I saw on a previous post you had some rainbow boas. Do you keep any pythons? Have you ever done any Maternal incubations?"

Oh, okay....cool. That small amount should be fine if the eggs are otherwise okay then. I have used the cream on egg ends once in a while too and the eggs went onto hatch fine when the rest of it was nice and white.

I have kept some BRB's boas and pythons in the past, but that recent post I made of that extremely pale killer Brazilian Rainbow wasn't mine though. I only posted it to help illustrate some genetic stuff regarding pigment cells and it's terminology. I wish I owned that particular one though, that thing was just insane!..LOL!

No, I never did any maternal incubation with the pythons I owned years ago, but it is pretty interesting stuff.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com