Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My sonoran gopher snaked laid six eggs on sunday. Now two of the eggs are collapsed, not completely but you can definatly see it. Is there something wrong? If there is what do I do? I would like to save the rest. This is my first time incubating them.

Thanks,
Justin

You'll have to provide more specifics like temp and humidity. There are many factors also that can be the cause. I know if they are too dry, they'll collapse. You can rehydrated them by bumping up the humidity but don't over do it. Sorry to hear that!!

Scott Robinson

I haven't been measuring humidity because a website said that I only had to mist once a week. I have been keeping the temperature around 80 degrees. Thanks for your help.

Mist more often if they are collapsing.

Also, some collapse is OK. Eggs are fairly resilient. The trick is to not let them dry out, but not keep them too wet. That actually isn't very hard to do in a closed container with small air holes and a substrate like moist vermiculite or perlite.

How are you incubating them?

BTW, the first clutch of colubrid eggs I tried to incubate collapsed horribly but still hatched with healthy babies.

Mark is correct. The eggs are fairly resilient. I put mine in a container with a few very small holes in vermiculite. I like to get the vermiculite moist just enough to clump together but not get soggy. If you can squeeze it in your hand and it keeps form, then it probably ok. I like to keep mine around 82-84 degrees. Some collapse may occur but so long as they hold color, they could be ok. If they fill out, just check on them once a week. Right before they hatch, it'll look as if the egg will collapse in a single area. They will usually pip within 4 days after that. My pits took about 80-90 days to hatch and every single egg hatched. Hope this helps.

Scott

Markg and Guero: thanks a lot for all your help. I am incubating them in a hovabator at about 80 degrees. They are now in a tuppaware with a lid. They are looking a little better and still have good color. Thanks again.

Justin