Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We thought it was a boy!
We have never done this...please advise us immediately. What do you put the eggs in? What temp do they need to be? Do you keep the eggs with the mother? When do you remove them? We need to know everything!! Please hurry. Hubby says she still has at least two eggs in her!!

Thanks!!

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Lisa

0.0.1 Scarlet Kingsnake
0.0.1 Pueblan Milksnake
0.0.1 W/C Gopher

For starters GET THEM OUT OF THAT WATER DISH!!!! if you haven't already done so. Try to keep them right way up and keep them level, mark the tops if need be.
Next, you need to put them in some kind of well sealed plastic container, a tupperware box with a lid big enough to accomodate them is perfect, or a plastic shoebox is good too. drill a few SMALL holes in the top of the box for air exchange. Get some 'perlite' or 'vermiculite', (usually used to mix with potting soil in plant pots) and moisten it with water to the point where if you squeeze a handful a few drops will come out...careful, you don't want it 'wet', just 'moist'. Put about an inch and a half of that in the bottom of the egg box, make some indentions for the eggs and lay them in there nice and snug, about 1/3 to 1/2 halfway buried.
Now find somewhere in your house where the temps will stay beween 78-84 degrees Fahrenheit. The top of the fridge is usually good, or on a top closet shelf, it should be somewhere where they won't be bothered much. You can also go to an agricultural store and buy a styrofoam chicken egg incubator, they usually run around $40 and work wonderfully, and you can put that anywhere the temps won't get above 84 as it has a built-in thermostat.
From there keep your eye on them, mist the substrate and side of the box every couple of weeks or so and in about 60-65 days (if they're still good by the time you get all this done) you should see little heads poking out of those eggs!

Best of luck to you, and if you need any more help or have more questions feel free to ask here or send me a message.
~Roo
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"Klaatu...Verata...Nicht--cough, cough, cough!"

Thank you for the help. We have already put the eggs in vermiculite, but the box we used is a critter carrier. We will have to cover some of the holes so it stays moist. We are debating about using a heating pad on low...because our house temp is usually 75 - 78. This is so stressful! I'm going to be so sad if they don't make it.
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Lisa

0.0.1 Scarlet Kingsnake
0.0.1 Pueblan Milksnake
0.1.0 W/C Kingsnake
0.0.1 W/C Gopher

If those are your normal house temps then the top of the fridge should be just a wee bit warmer, perfect for incubation temps. Stick a thermometer up there for a bit and see.
A heat pad on low will work, just make sure it's calibrated properly before you put the eggs on there as any temp spike over 86 could prove disastrous.
The critter carrier will also work, like you said just cover up some of the holes.

Sounds like you have things under hand, good job and congrats!
~Roo
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"Klaatu...Verata...Nicht--cough, cough, cough!"