I have a hatchling I found tonight that I believe hatched prematurely. I found it with about half its body out of the egg. The yolk sac was still attached, but wasn't fully absorbed yet. I cut the egg from around ( yolk sac was still in the egg when I found it ) its body and now have it set up in deli cup at 85 degrees with a moist paper towel to keep the humidity up. I know it is important to keep the yolk sac hydrated and moist. It isn't very responsive, the only thing its done is gasp 2 or 3 times. Its little heart is beating so I know it is at least alive. Has anyone ever delt with this, and if so, how did you go about it? I know this method has worked on premature Boas before, but hopefully this little guy ( actually girl ) makes it through
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Has anyone ever delt with Premature hatchlings?
Replies (1)
You are doing exactly what should be done! How premature is this little one? If it survives, it will lose the yolk sack, and it's tummy will appear very caved in. Sometimes it just shrivels up and falls off, but if it is still relatively large the hatchling will most likely ruture it while trying to move around. If this occurs, be very careful of the yolk sticking to the baby's feet and tail, as it can dry just like unshed skin and cause digit loss. You should not keep it in the incubator for more than a couple of days, since it will need to thermoregulate in order for it's digestive system, metabolism, and immune systems to start functioning. Good luck!
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com
