Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I thought one was going to hatch, on day 64 is got "Dimples" so I thought for sure that was it. I had to leave town, but came back on day 66. The eggs was just more dimply, almost to the point of sunken. Yesterday (day 68) that egg was very sunken, and the other three eggs I can see on top all looked full and firm still. I went ahead and opened the "Sunken" egg, and all it had in it was a very dead, very underdeveloped snake, and a lot of "goo". The "Snake" had no color, and was maybe a quarter of the mass in the egg, so I figure it died a long time ago, and just started sinking in on day 64.

Well, today is day 68, and another egg has "Dimples" now. I'm afraid to be excited.

That's disappointing Hopefully the others will hatch soon and you'll have some fat healthy babies.
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-audri
Webpage/Pics

Ya, my first clutch of the year is on day 70, the past two weeks have definately been the longest. I can still see movement inside the egg when I candle it so I am not too worried. It is not too uncommen for undeveloped eggs to go bad a few days before the rest hatch. It is usually not a sign that the entire clutch is bad. I had one that I cut open a few days ago because the egg was sweating and it was obvious no development had been taking place for weeks. What makes the egg go on for so long before finally going bad is beyond me. Candling the eggs and seeing some movement may give you a little peace of mind. Hmm, it will be fun to see who's come out first! I bet yours, I have terrible luck.

Okay, that sounds pretty simple, but I suspect I either do it wrong, or my flashlight is too big! I had been trying to leae them be as I was expecting them to hatch any time now, but I just tried it again.

Looks like there are four eggs that still "Look good" including the one that is now dimpling. When I candled them I could only get the light to shine through two of them (They are stuck together in a mass with other eggs that have rotted, so angle is an issue too) I did not see any movement at all in the two I could see through, (And I looked for a bit of time) but I am sure I could still see veins in these two, and I did see a dark spot in both. But no, the dark spot never moved at all.

I have a clutch of eggs that are stuck together, what I do is use the small flashlight (a big flashlight won't work) and I put it so that the light is shining ON the egg, but AWAY from me, so that I'm just seeing a little of the light seeping through the eggshell... I keep moving it around, never shining the light towards me, until I see the veins. Of course I haven't ever candled a bad egg (other than one slug one of my snakes laid along with 8 good eggs). So I don't know how it would be with a bad egg... but using the small flashlight (light portion of the flashlight less than the size of a quarter) and moving the light around and around, I was eventually able to see the veins. I'm on day 59 today and my Kingsnake eggs are going soft. Way I understand it the two species' eggs are fairly similar in incubation and pre-hatching behaviour etc.

Good luck and I can't wait to hear the good news when they start hatching!

And now I have to go check my eggs again
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~Sasheena

Wish List:
0.1 adult Whitewater Rosy Boa
1.0 CB Spilotes Pullatus
1.0 Jungle Carpet Python

It was suggested to me in e-mail that I should slit the eggs, as the shells may be too tough. As I understand it, at 68 days they should be either ready to emerge and can not, or if they are not quite ready they should be close enough that this will not harm them. So, patience being a virtue that escapes me, well......I couldn’t take it anymore. I cut a very small V into the top of each of the 4 eggs that still look good. 3 of them gushed a small amount of clear fluid, and one gushed a small amount of milky looking white fluid. I am still hoping all four are good. I could not see into the eggs far enough to see anything but the fluid and a red vein or two.

I put them back in the incubator and am hoping for the best.

Ya, I pipped mine about 4 days ago, just in case it was having trouble. He/She still hasn't come out yet. (It is a clutch of one egg, but I have another clutch that is only four days behind this one that hasn't pipped either) It was getting a little rough and caved in so I put some moist moss around it and the egg seemed to "seal" up the cut with some goo and it plumped back up. These eggs are amazing. I candled the egg and something is moving in there so I figure he/she will come out in due time. I have a feeling it is just the low incubation temps. Like Kat said, her's did not come out until day 75. Good Luck!

JM

I think you did the right thing. They're not likely to be adversely affected even if your unnatural pipping was premature.

Best wishes,

Don
South Mountain Reptiles
www.cornsnake.NET

I disagree, although the snake probably wont be harmed I think slitting eggs is a bad idea. In my opinion a hatchling that can't get out of the egg on its own, will be a weak inferior animal. It would not be a animal I would want to sell or use in a breeding project. Patience is something that you need to develop in order to keep your sanity in this hobby/business. Candling is another bad idea in my opinion (ever have something slip out of your hand and fall to the floor). It's unnecessary handling, if the egg is bad you'll know it when it gets covered with mold and shrivels. If its good you'll know it when it hatches. the hatching time of 8 to 10 weeks is a average, it can take less or more. The biblical definition of patience is "long suffering", no one said it would be easy. No harm intended, just my opinion.

Tim
Southampton Herps