Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I'm wondering what the best temperature is to incubate chinese beauty snake eggs. I see an average of 81 degrees on other sites but not sure if that is old info or not. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks
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Mark Kennedy

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Mark Kennedy Reptiles

I have had best results with upper 70's, from about 77 - 80 degrees F. Also, I have had better results with Hatch Rite or zero medium methods (fluorescent light diffuser over wet perlite) with their eggs than with vermiculite or moist sphagnum moss. In my experience, these eggs need to dent in before hatching. If the eggs are full of fluid (turgid) all the way to hatching, you run the risk of the neonates drowning in their eggs.

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-Toby Brock
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

Thanks for the help Toby! Here's the double het female with 8 big eggs this morning!

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Mark Kennedy

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Mark Kennedy Reptiles

No problem, Mark - congrats on the clutch! The dam and the eggs look great! Refresh my memory please - did you get a pair of the hypo / T pos albino x calico double hets? Was the sire of this clutch a double het as well? If so, I am very interested to see what hatches - please keep us updated.

BTW, my big '03 female calico just had her pre-lay shed, is coiled up and as big as a house!
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-Toby Brock
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

... And I see that it is a double het x double het clutch. I am really looking forward to seeing what hatches!
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-Toby Brock
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

Yes it is I can't wait! I'm having a pretty good year here and I'm looking forward to this more than anything. Your calico is amazing I hope to hatch a couple. Thanks
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Mark Kennedy

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Mark Kennedy Reptiles

I incubate all my beauty snake eggs in the upper 70's Mark.
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Randy Whittington

Thanks Randy, they are currently at 79 degrees. Do you use vermiculite? Thank you!
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Mark Kennedy

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Mark Kennedy Reptiles

I quit using vermiculite a while back. I use straight pearlite (cheap version of hatch rite) to incubate mine now. The eggs absorb too much moisture from vermiculite even though I only settle the eggs in slightly. The pearlite seems to let the eggs get the humidity needed as opposed to excessive direct moisture.
I don't think the larger granule vermiculite is as much of an issue but where I live I can only get the fine vermiculite most of the time.

Those should definatly be some interesting babies. I saw a clutch a friend of mine hatched a few years ago with those genetics and not only what you might expect poped out. A couple of them were the freakiest looking beauty snakes I've ever seen. Post some shots when they hatch if you can.
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Randy Whittington

Thanks Randy I can't wait
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Mark Kennedy

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Mark Kennedy Reptiles