Having supper at my mother's yesterday, I was shocked to hear my stepfather saying he had killed a bunch of snake eggs he had found. My boyfriend went to investigate and found 2 that had not been harmed and set them aside to save them. When I went out to look at the eggs, I noticed that the ones that had been crushed looked to be ringnecks. We are assuming that the eggs we now have are the same. The eggs are elongated and about an inch long with a mild yellow tint towards each end. We have placed them in an old fish tank. The bottom is covered with an inch of fish gravel and we poured just a bit of water into that gravel to help increase humitity. The eggs themselves are sitting in a nest of peat moss/mulch that has been lightly dampened. We also have a 50 watt infared heat light glowing into the tank.
I would like to know if it sounds like we have set these babies up with the best chance for hatching? If not, what do we need to change? And... what's next?
We are all excited about watching these creatures hatch and grow and want to provide what they need.
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*Rescued Snake Eggs*
Replies (9)
Yeah well I'd like to smack your stepfather.
You don't really need a light in the incubator, keep the tank in a place where the temp. in the tank will be around 84 degrees. Put a piece of wood or something over the top of the tank so no air can get out, that will increase humidity and keep it warm inside.
Michael
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Michael_Fedzen@hotmail.com
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edited sig file. [phw 7/27/04]
Yea, and I would not use racks as a medium for incubating. Try using sphagnum moss (most places sell it as green moss) for ringneck eggs because they are softer and much more fragile. Everything else go by what michael said.
Michael, I have been looking hard but have found no slamanders or any more ground skinks. This time of the year always has sucked herping in my area. There is nothing at all. I have not found a snake in like 2-3 weeks. Not even water snakes. It is so strange. I look day and night and nothing, but i'm used to it. It has always been like this here. During the spring/early summer months snakes are almost everywhere.
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Justin
Ok, I've redone their arrangement as suggested, as well as putting them in seperate sides with a barricade inbetween. This was done because I measured the length of the eggs and want to se if the egg size helps to detirmine the birth length. I know that they are supposed to be 4" when born or so.. but if an egg is smaller, does it inhibit growth? Or, possibly, does the minute size difference give a clue to if the snake inside is male/female? I've also taken pics of the eggs, though i've not checked yet to se if they are good.
Another question.. if you all will be kind enough to bear with me for a minute. As I was holding the eggs in my palm, to move and such, I *swear* I felt one fluttering around inside the egg... Can they be felt moving around?
Ok.. I've reached my 3 question quota per post 
It is not up to you or anything else right now to determine if the snakes will be male or female, that is determined by the temperature they were incubated at for the first 2 weeks. I doubt you could feel the snake moving in an egg, unless the snake was just then pipping.
Not all ringneck snakes are 4 inches long, it varies with each sub-species, if you know what sub-species you have, tell me and I'll tell you how big you can expect the hatchlings to be. If you do not know what sub-species, tell us what state you are in.
Michael
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Michael_Fedzen@hotmail.com
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edited sig file. [phw 7/27/04]
If I read your first post correctly, the damaged eggs were developed enough to determine that they are ringnecks. If this is so the eggs are near very hatching and that being the case movement could possibly be detected. Watch out for slits appearing in those eggs real soon.
Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."
ok.. what is piping?
there appears to be a stretch mark going across each egg, though wider in the larger egg.
as for the species, I have no clue, but am located in KY. The ringnecks i have seen around here are the black with yellow.
the movement i thought i felt was not a strong one... just like a little flutter.
Also, the temp doesn't seem to be regulating very well in the tank. Should i add the heat light back to it?
pipping is slitting the egg. It probably was the snake you felt inside because I noticed that when i held mine not strong, just a little flutter as you stated. Probably just a northern. Do you plan to release? I bet michale will take them if you do not want them.
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Justin
I'm planning on keeping them. My kids are excited about them and can't stop looking at the tank. They are even calling them 'the babies' ~rolls her eyes~ So, i figure i can get them to start eating and such, we will keep them..if not, then michael could have them or they could be released.. i just don't want them to die...
Make sure you read past posts of the care. There are plenty of themt o tell you exactly what to do. They are a bit hard if you are new to it or have no food itms.
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Justin
