Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok I got my incubator working it is on 89-90. It is a Horvabator top wit a fish shipping container for the bottom. My female has been on the eggs for 2 days now. She is in a 20 gal glass tank with a screen top. I have the temp in the tank at 89 degrees with a towel over half of the top to hold in heat. I also have a bowl of water at the other end of the tank with a heat lamp over it to provide the heat. Ok knowing all this should I take the eggs and put them in the incubator or leave them with the mother. If I leave them with the mother is there anything I need to do for her. Also if I do leave them with her and I see somthing going wrong can I take the eggs and put them in the incubator then ( like in a few weeks) Or will I have to leave them with her. Please help I do not want to mess up they are 10 good eggs no slugs.

Walt
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1.8 Ball Python
1.0 50% Het Albino Ball Python
0.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa
1.0 Albino Burm
1.1 Cal Kings
0.0.1 South Carolina Corn

Ok, first things first. Just relax and I'm sure we (you & this forum) can get through this just fine.

It sounds as if you have your incubator working. But, do you have it ready for eggs? Do you have a substrate ready or do you plan to use the no substrate method? If that's the case, do you have an inner chamber ready? If the answer to either of these is no, then leave the eggs with mama.

What have the eggs been laid on? Is it even possible to safely remove them without damage? Are they sticking to anything?

If you leave the eggs with mama, you need to ensure she can get to some good heat without traveling too far and provide an environment where she feels secure enough to do so. IMHO, a glass tank with a heat lamp is not it. Can you provide a safe UTH for her? Or how about using a night time heat bulb? I would cover or at least wrap something around the cage so that she cannot see people beebopping in and out. Also, keeping humidity with a screen top will be difficult. You might want to put a large water bowl in along with something that will hold humidity in better than a towel. You may need to mist the cage daily or every other day.

Provide her with access to heat, privacy and humidity and she'll do the rest.

Keep us posted.
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Jay A. Martin

Ok let me try to answer all your question. As far as the incubator I was going to use Perlite and Vermiculite as the substrat. 50/50 of each then add water just enough to make it clump (Is this right) I was will put all this in a rubermaide container then in the incubator. As far as where she is now she is on cypress but she moved all of it aside so the eggs are sitting on the glass I think. I am using a 75 watt night time bulb for the heat. I have a big water dish in the tank under the light. I don't know if the humidity is right I don't have a guage. But I do spray the cypress around her with water once a day. Thank you for your help so far.

Walt
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1.8 Ball Python
1.0 50% Het Albino Ball Python
0.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa
1.0 Albino Burm
1.1 Cal Kings
0.0.1 South Carolina Corn

Too much perilite. I normally go 1:5 mixture of perilite/vermiculite.

I'm concerned about the eggs sitting on the glass. Try to ensure they don't get too wet on the bottom. Spraying around her is probably fine (on the substrate). Just keep an eye on the eggs and look for signs of collapsing.

Really, mother nature knows best. I would just leave them with mom but ensure she gets those things I mentioned before.
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Jay A. Martin

Here is a pic of the set up Please let me know what you think

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1.8 Ball Python
1.0 50% Het Albino Ball Python
0.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa
1.0 Albino Burm
1.1 Cal Kings
0.0.1 South Carolina Corn

Hard to say from the pic. As long as she gets adequate heat, humidity and privacy, I'd say you will be fine.
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Jay A. Martin

Well I guess I will leave the eggs with mother for now. I did get the incubator up and running with the substrate in it. It is at a steady 89. If for some reason I can't keep the enviroment right can I take the eggs later and place them in the incubator?
Jmartin thanks for all your help!!!

Walt
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1.8 Ball Python
1.0 50% Het Albino Ball Python
0.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa
1.0 Albino Burm
1.1 Cal Kings
0.0.1 South Carolina Corn

Leave the incubator running "just in case". But keep the eggs with mom and enjoy (or suffer) the wait.

Keep us posted.
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Jay A. Martin