Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I found number 12 the next morning, same as the other two - very small, but it has a chalky firm appearance so in the incubator it goes.
I have not candled these eggs, I wanted to get them into the incubator as soon as possible and left that part out. 8 of the eggs were adherent, one normal looking one was pushed away from the main clutch during parturation, and the 3 smaller eggs were seperate also. One of the normal looking ones has developed a small water spot but otherwise they look very fertile.
After reading the horror stories of apparently healthy eggs dying in the incubator I would SERIOUSLY appreciate any Woma lovers who want to "share" experiences with incubationa and comment on my set up below.

I have mine set up in a modified hovabator (higher side walls)fluctuating between 87-89 degrees. 8 of the eggs are in a plastic shoe box on vermiculite that has been moistened, squeezed dry, and topped with a half inch layer of dry vermiculite. 10 1/4 inch vent holes are in the lid. A remote sensor in with the eggs is reading 88.2 degrees with 94% RH.
Another container (ran out of room in 1st one) is set up with perlite (I didnt have any more vermiculite and couldnt find any at 4am)and shares the same temp and RH. In this container I have put the 3 small eggs and a normal sized egg. I had considered leaving the eggs in with LJ but she has not eaten since November 1st and I want her to get her weight back on.
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to shed some insight or those that have already. Now if I can stop looking through the window at the eggs every 20 minutes.....

Cheers
Brettski

Have you ever tried out the no-substrate incubation method with Woma eggs? The only reason I ask is after many years of using vermiculite with relatively okay results (some clutches perfect, some bad), we switched over to the NSIM and have been getting stellar results every time. It seems to completely cut out the issue of maintaining proper moisture throughout the incubation period, particularly for our long incubating Scrub Python eggs. It maintains perfect humidity all the time, no matter how often you air out the egg box.
Do woma eggs need to be kept drier than typical pythons eggs?
Thanks.

-Yasser
Spitfire Reptiles

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Being relatively new to incubating python eggs, I am scrambling to read, research, and investigate the techniques used. As is usual most people seem unwilling to "share" but there have been a few (you know who you are)who have given me some assistance. For that I thank you, as most importantly the goal is to cb animals and be successful for the animals sake, I could give a &*^%^%%% about the money - I dont need it.
I have lots of experience with colubrids, crotalids, turtles and some boids but aspidites are new to me. I have read that maternal incubation is wonderful, likewise the no-substrate method works well, vermiculite seems to have a bad rap according to some unless you use the large grade material. Perlite seems to be used extensively as well and have not heard of bad results as seems to be the common thread with the vermiculite, the eggs prefer dryer conditions than other python eggs - again this is what Ive researched, heard about, read, etc...anyone working with these animals who wants to put their 2cents in please join us. I have now focused on the animals themselves, where do they spend most of their lives, what sorts of habitat do they prefer, what is that environment like seasonally, and many more questions along those lines.
My assumptions are as follows: Being a predominately desert species they probably inhabit an environment similiar to our own deserts here in the U.S. They apparently frequent rabbit and rodent burrows in Australia, we have those as well. Now, do they use these burrows for reproductive purposes? Maybe. Do the conditions inside these burrows seem favorable for incubating a clutch of snake eggs, sure depending on time of year. After studying data on sidewinders, I learned alot about the burrows in the Mojave Desert and the conditions that existed inside during the year. I am still left with questions but I am going to look into setting up another incubator and reproduce these conditions. Into this incubator I will place one of the fertile looking eggs and I will take notes and see what happens. Who knows maybe I'll learn something worth passing along....
Cheers
Brettski