Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I tried to find Damon's post with the replies but I can't put my hands on it. At what day should you slit the eggs open, or should you wait until 1 has pipped before assisting the rest?
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0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons
0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons (on breeding loan)
0.1 Sub-adult
1.0 Normal ball python
1.1 Bell Line Pastel Ball pythons
1.0 Adult Het Albino Ball Python
1.0 Het Pied Ball Python
1.0 Het Carmel Ball Python
1.0 66% Het pied Ball python
0.2 50% Het albino Ball Pythons

I have always waited till 1 or more babies pipped before cutting the remaining eggs open, that way you know for sure they are ready to hatch. You can cut at 52days or later, and will not have any problems, but you don't have to cut them at all. If they are healthy, they will come out on their own. I see no reason to cut an egg and have a genetically weak peace of crap make it to breeding stock, but that is just my opinion.
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CB

"I'm a truckin bassmole, and proud of it"

I would definitely let them pip on their own. I placed a small cut at day 51 in four eggs recently using my new “BigA” incubator that utilizes a fan for circulation. It completely dehydrated the eggs in a two day period despite keeping a water bowl in the incubator and moist paper towels in the box. I had to moisten the vermiculite mixture every other day due to the fan. The instructions require the fan to be on at all times when running the heater. None of the snakes survived. All appeared to be full term with the expectation of one. As a double wammy, the “well known big breeder 100% het" bred to my albino male produced no albinos. At least I only lost hets and no albinos. It was a hard lesson to learn.

I cut my eggs near the end of day #53 into incubation.

Five of the babies left the eggs 24hrs later, one took a little longer then 24hrs.

All the babies looked great, no yolkes or anything.

Will always cut any other clutches I get on day #53,maybe day #54 if the temps are a little cooler.

I have a clutch incubating now, man I hope it makes it. Lost one egg in the clutch only have 4 left. I plan on cutting the eggs on day #54 this time, only because this incubater is running a little cooler then the last one.