Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have a clutch of eggs from a Sonoran Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon biscutatus lambda) that is a few days from their projected hatch date. It is hard to say when that is exactly considering there is virtually no info on hatching this neat little colubrid. Today, on day 70 of incubation (they can go 70-80 days), I decided to open up one egg to see how things were going with the rest of the clutch. The eggs were incubated pretty warm so I figured they'd be very close to hatching time anyway. I found a fully formed baby with a clear bubble in its belly where all of the guts were just floating around inside....never seen that before. Also, as I was reaching back into the egg box, one of the other eggs literally popped right in front of me without me touching it in any way. I noticed that with the first one, it did not have an egg tooth.
So my question to anyone who may know is how soon does an egg tooth form? Is it right before hatching? Maybe this one I dissected did not yet have one. But could it be possible that Lyres do not have an egg tooth and "pop" when they hatch? As soon as it popped, the egg was cut across the short side on top about half of the entire circumference of the egg. It was under such force, I could hear it pop too. I have hatched tons of colubrids and plenty of python eggs and I have never heard of this. This is our first time trying to hatch lyres. I just hope I get a few to live. Anyone got any ideas?
-Yasser
-----
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
- Mario Andretti

I JUST read about this phenomenon in a book. Your problem is excessive humidity and moisture--you should lower your moisture levels in the incubator immediately. So long as your eggs stay rounded, the humidity is high enough.
The humidity in your incubator is so high, the eggs are absorbing excessive moisture and swelling to dangerous proportions--some, as you noted, may even split open.
This is often a death sentence for the embryo, but you may be able to save it by making a canvas or cloth sling, and very carefully placing the egg in the sling without disturbing the embryo. Tie 4 corners of the sling with string to 4 points in your incubator, so it is suspended there. The author of the book I read had an embryo develop fully and leave the egg eventually as a healthy young snake after a split egg was placed in the sling, so it is possible to save them. But you must lower your moisture levels, or the other eggs may split, or embryos may actually suffocate.

Then humidity is fine. The eggs are not abnormally swollen. The baby is fully formed but he's still hanging out in the egg.
I know of the author's writing you speak of and just don't think excess humidity is the case here. I am just curious to know if any species of snake hatch in any unusual way or do not come equipped with an egg tooth. Whatever the case, it is weird stuff. Thanks for your input though.
-Yasser
SPITFIRE...Brand Spankin' New Website

-----
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
- Mario Andretti