Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, this is my first time breeding ball pythons and could use some help with incubation. My female laid 6 eggs and everything was going fine until a couple of days ago. This is only day 22 and 3 of the eggs are shriveling already. I have them in about 2 inches of hatchrite and have already tried adding some water but it doesn't seem to be doing anything. Any help is very appreciated.

Thanks

Pics of the eggs?

Have you tried candling them to see if they are alive (red veins)? Years ago before I bought a nice bright little flashlight I got all worked up over a few eggs that started to collapse and eventually mold a few weeks in. I ended up killing the good eggs trying to save (with an anti fungal) what where probably bad eggs to start with. Live eggs can absorb water and usually fight off fungus but dead eggs can't. Doesn't mean that every collapsed or fungus egg is bad but probably every bad egg eventually collapses and grows fungus.
-----
Randy Remington
www.SnakeMorphs.com
FaceBook.com/SnakeMorphs

Yes I candled them and all six have red veins.

Candle the eggs as suggested, if they are fertile there will be veins. I do not know what your set up is, so we'll start from scratch. Get one of those disposable refrigerator containers (like a cheap Tuperware, the lid seals tight) drill 2, 1/8" holes in the container sides, 1" moist hatchrite, put eggs in so lid will not touch them, add hatchrite till eggs are 1/2 covered, put lid on, check in 24-48 hrs, should be slight condensation inside tub, if not, tape over 1 of the holes etc.... Good luck

I have them in a 6 qt. container with an inch or inch and a half of hatchrite and that's when they started to shrivel but I don't have any holes drilled. And a couple of days ago I added a little bit more hatchrite around them and I added some plastic wrap over them to seal it in better. Do you think adding some more hatchrite would help any?

Well, if you are loosing the moisture because the lid of your shoebox does not seal then you would need to add H2o or hatchrite. I like to be able to control the humidity, that is why I use semi-airtight containers, then I add holes as needed.
If you put an inch or 2 of water in one of your tubs, put the lid on, and lay it on its side, does the water run out? I use
9 3/4" deli containers and they work with 95% of my clutches. Good Luck.

Thanks for all your help.

I know a lot of people are getting away from it...but you really can't beat vermiculite for holding moisture...once like the other guys said...you make sure your eggs are good.
-----
Dale....dgoins222@yahoo.com
www.LibertyReptiles.com

Its known that its better to dont add too much water than adding too much, as they say the egg absorbs water and it cant be controled, so if there is a too much water around the egg it will absorb water continously and there will be no space for air inside of the egg. that will kill the embryon.

If they dimple you can add a little more water, and you will have to wait maybe a whole day or two until the recovers its normal form.

www.ballpython.ca/gallery/breeding.html
that link may help you. it did for me.
if you have pics you should put some, there are lot of experts who can say if they are fertile or not just by looking the pic. ( im not an expert by the way )
-----
Amazonika
Beto

I've had 100% hatch rate since getting away from substrate. Eggs get 100% RH without getting any water in direct contact.