My second clutch

My second clutch

Postby Fangless » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:12 pm

Hi all,

Wanted to share, this morning about two days after putting the vermiculite container in I was greeted by about 10 eggs from my Amel female.

This is my seconds clutch after my first last year was a complete failure :( I really want these to be a success, any advise is welcome.

Currently I have one heating pad in the top right hand corner of the enclosure under the hide, I would like to know if I should move the container to be on top of the heating pad. This morning the right side of the enclosure was at 24C, I mixed the vermiculite two days ago (2 cups to about 1 cup water) should I mist with a spray bottle? Do I need a humidity indicator. Should I make some breathing hole in the container and close of the top hole?

As can be seen mommy and daddy is both in the container with the eggs, which seems to be very stacked (on top of each other)

Again any recommendations welcome, I also have a open invitation from a professional herpetologist to bring the eggs to his incubator, but I would love to have them hatch at home. (do I need a transport permit to travel with the eggs?)

I have heard of (and seen) people who leave the container with the eggs in the enclosure and and up with the full clutch hatching happy healthy babies.

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Re: My second clutch

Postby Westley Price » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:20 pm

Hi Fangless

Wow, those eggs look in great condition so this clutch should hopefully be a success.

Firstly, take the egg-box out of the snakes' cage. The snakes move around and may flip the eggs which can result in "dead" eggs.

Take a ice-cream tub (no hole in the top) and put in about 3cm of damp vermiculite (squeeze out all the excess water).

If the eggs are stuck together, try seperating them gently. If they're stuck, leave them that way.

If you get the seperated, use your thumb to make a "indent" into the vermiculite into which the egg will sit. Make sure not to rotate the eggs. You may want to make the up-side with a pencil lightly.

If the bundle is stuck together, bury the bottom layer slightly and close the container.

It's a bit late to make a incubator, but luckily Corn eggs are very hardy so search for a closet in your house with 27 to 29 degrees contant temperature. Leave them in the closet and Bob's your uncle!

60 days later you should have some babies.
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Re: My second clutch

Postby Fangless » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:47 pm

Thanks Westley,

I will try to find the right conditions tonight.

Do I need a new container or can I simply tape the hole shut? Also, does it need some breathing holes for fresh air? If I can keep the adults out of the egg-box can I leave it in the enclosure?

60 days will put them on 27 December, Christmas babies! The best Christmas present I can have this year.
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Re: My second clutch

Postby Westley Price » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:57 pm

It's best to remove the eggs from the cage. Snakes are stong and the might just push the entire container onto the heat source resulting in cooked eggs.

You can tape the hole shut if you're real depsrate, but just steal some Tupperware from the kombuis.

Some people do prefer to make a few air holes, while others just open the container every day. I prefer to not have holes, but that's just personal preference.

Good luck.
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Re: My second clutch

Postby marc bt » Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:05 pm

No do not leave it in the enclosure because the temperatures inside the enclosure is too low for incubating eggs and if you were to raise the temps to suit the eggs your snakes would suffer.
Remove the eggs from the container,like Westley said, but do not turn them or alter the position they are in, as they will drown because inside the egg at the top, where the snake's head is located, there is an air sac to allow the snake the breath while inside. Put about 3-5cm of a vermiculite mixture and yes you can make "breathing holes" in the container but not too many. Every 5-7days you can open the container to get fresh air to the eggs. When it gets to about 3-2weeks before they are due to hatch you can "air" the eggs on a daily or even every 2 days.
Everything that Westley has said is spot on
I hope this helps and good luck :)
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Re: My second clutch

Postby Fangless » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:39 am

Thanks guys,

Last night I taped shut the hole in the top of the egg-box and misted the vermiculite a little with a spray bottle, (after removing mom and dad) and placed the egg-box in the smaller enclosure with my new snow (Rebekka) who is definitely too small to upset the egg-box. The small enclosure's temperature was 21 this morning where the egg-box is.

I also made a little indentation in the vermiculite but found the eggs too stuck together for me to separate, so I just placed the clump in the indentation and sprinkled a little damp vermiculite around it.

However my wife is now very upset that I removed mommy corn snake from her eggs and last night before I went to sleep mommy and daddy was in their water bowl, this morning when I got up they were still there. They don't usually spend a lot of time in their water bowl, is this behavior change normal?

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Thanks for all the advise, it is really nice to know there are people around who care and love these little creatures as much if not more than I do.
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Re: My second clutch

Postby Westley Price » Fri Oct 29, 2010 9:19 am

Eish, woman are strange :D

Tell your wife that Corn snakes have not maternal instincts and even in the wild, they lay their eggs and abandons them immediately.

21 degrees is too cold for the eggs. Maybe move it closer to the heat source to get it up to 27 degrees.

I would not worry about the parents soaking.
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Re: My second clutch

Postby Fangless » Thu Nov 04, 2010 9:35 pm

Hey guys,

Please have a look, my eggs are looking a bit indented, could you please check if it seems OK?

Image

The one in the bottom right worries me especially, there were some vermiculite on it but it was only a few flecks. I spray a little bit of water about every three days, twice since they were laid.

Anyway, just more of a update. :)
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Re: My second clutch

Postby Fooble » Fri Nov 05, 2010 7:43 am

Just maintain the correct humidity they will be fine. You don't want them drying out.
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Re: My second clutch

Postby BRB » Fri Nov 05, 2010 8:19 am

They look really wet, I wouldn't spray any water directly on the eggs, if you vermiculite was mixed correctly (1:1 in WEIGHT NOT VOLUME) and your "egg box" has no breathing holes, there should be no need to mist the eggs at all.
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Re: My second clutch

Postby Fangless » Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:12 pm

BRB wrote:They look really wet, I wouldn't spray any water directly on the eggs, if you vermiculite was mixed correctly (1:1 in WEIGHT NOT VOLUME) and your "egg box" has no breathing holes, there should be no need to mist the eggs at all.


Point taken, my mix was 1:1 in approx weight when I put it in, I have lightly misted it about twice but spraying the water on the vermiculite.

My wife always say I'm like a kid with toy and this is my newest toy, just hope it doesn't brake or heaven forbid die. :D

Thanks for all the advice.
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Re: My second clutch

Postby Westley Price » Fri Nov 05, 2010 3:02 pm

They do look a bit wet.

Also, do not open the container too regularly as those "dented" eggs need humidity to plump up.

Good luck!
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Re: My second clutch

Postby alvinno » Fri Nov 05, 2010 3:50 pm

Last year my adult corns gave me eggs, being inexperienced I messed them up. I sprayed water directly on them and they looked like the eggs in your last picture I assumed they died so I cut them opened, all the eggs were fine you could see the babies they looked like red/pink worms. this year aim prepared and so far none of my eggs are going bad, just don’t spray water directly on them if more water is needed pore a little around the edges inside the container that should give them enough humidity. Good luck
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