These eggs freak me out every time!!!

[serpenttongue]

I do not see how this statement is correct...

Artificially incubated eggs remain in an environment (the egg container) of constant warmth and humidity. This allows the egg shells to remain as soft as they were the day they were laid. With maternal incubation, the eggs are exposed to temperature and humidity variations, as well as the friction caused by shivering thermogenesis. At the end of incubation the egg shells have become a dirty brown colour and are drier and tougher than artificially incubated eggs.

 

[BROWNS]

I've noticed that eggs maternally incubated hatch out larger compared to artificial incubation.Has anyone else tried both methods and noticed a difference in hatchling size?I'm asuming it could be that for some reason they absorb more of the yolk than when artificially incubated?

Rams,would you please be able to put up a pic of a freshly hatched albino to show what colour they come out with?

 

[FAY]

It is important to understand that hatching is based on the time the animal LEAVES the egg so the none of the snakes in the pics have hatched at this stage.

Pipping eggs early opens the hatchies to a few different problems.Firstly for whatever reason they may decide to leave the egg before fully absorbing the yolk sack still with the umbilical attached,something that should be avoided at all costs..

Something else to bear in mind once eggs are opened the contents yolk,albumen and snake are exposed to the outside elements,unopened shells afford the contents some protection from this.

Once opened an exposed to the air the albumen and yolk start to deteriorate,ever noticed how quickly the eggshells start to deteriorate once hatching starts? To my mind this should be avoided at all costs also since the snake is still absorbing yolk which is most likely going off.

Wouldn't the egg also be open to bacteria getting in? Or having a sealed only water container avoid this?

 

[Ramsayi]

Here ya go Browns.

Wouldn't the egg also be open to bacteria getting in? Or having a sealed only water container avoid this?

No Fay,egg shell acts as a barrier to a lot of the nasty stuff present in the environment

 

[BROWNS]

Thanks Rams,that's the colour they should be on hatching which these in this thread clearly do not have full hatcling colour yet hence being under developed and I just can't see any reason to interfere.I totally agree with everything you mentioned as well Fay and as I mentioned before the sim incubation apparently allows for approx 100% gas exchange so how does pipping the eggs in this way give even better gas exchange and oxygen intake.

Sometimes books don't get everything right and instead of going on a book for information on incubation time for Darwins I would be getting facts from other darwin breders to find out they're incubation times and Rams has bred them before knowing how long the eggs take to incubate.Again one would assume going on the information about the SIM tubs they should hatch earlier however this doesn't seem to be the case!

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

They were Darwin hets. Just took those photos to compare the tiny egg in comparison to the others. I agree with Browns 100%, its not rocket science to breed carpets in Queensland. It is however slightly more technical in Victoria although not much. Your experience also does not get gauged on how many you breed, but more on how consistent you are with your results every year. You also have to be able to get everyone to eat and shed properly.

The SIM has never been used on Pythons before so it is a first. I wont go back using anything else. The feedback I have gotten have been extremely positive. Using these units are my choice. There are loads of other techniques that work just as well but from now on its the sim for me.

Browns: I would have thought that these hatchlings would not go full term rather they would have shorter incubation times etc etc due to using the new s.i.m incubating tubs,plus if pipping them as has been done which was said to give better oxygen supply and gas exchange however from reading about the s.i.m tubs they already allow for approx 100% gas exchange etc. I dont get the argument anymore? They did not hatch earlier, I guess it did not shorten the incubation time in Pythons. Its never been tried on Pythons though. I will make all the non believers happy and not pip a next clutch so we can see how long they incubate in these containers.

 

[Ramsayi]

Browns,my incubation time falls in line with quite a few other breeders also that's why I am confident stating around a 58 day inc period at that temp,that and the fact I have been breeding darwins in some shape or form for years now.

As far as any containers influencing hatch times I am very very sceptical as by far the biggest influence in inc times is temp,pure and simple,as at the end of the day a plastic container is just that

 

[Kersten]

Wouldn't the egg also be open to bacteria getting in? Or having a sealed only water container avoid this?

No Fay,egg shell acts as a barrier to a lot of the nasty stuff present in the environment

I think what Fay is asking is if the eggs are pipped in such a way, and the contents exposed, is the chance of bacterial exposure heightened?

As far as the sealed water only environment goes Fay, I wouldn't think that it would stop it completely given that water on it's own can still provide a breeding ground for bacteria.

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

I dont know what your issue is with the colour thing Browns. They are pink. My camera sets the lighting and shutter speed as well as focus automatically. You should know how hard it is to capture colour on Albinos. You own one after all! Have you ever considered that this might make mine look lighter. I am hoping they hatch all white! Would that not be spectacular!

Ramsayi: Pipping eggs early opens the hatchies to a few different problems.Firstly for whatever reason they may decide to leave the egg before fully absorbing the yolk sack still with the umbilical attached,something that should be avoided at all costs. I have never seen a hatchling crawl out of the egg with the umbilical cord still attached to the yolk. Maybe you should go and look at the following link about egg formation and egg structure before we continue to give uninformed opinions.

Egg incubation: its effects on ... - Google Books

 

[Nicole74]

great thread with pictures i have never seen before.. Thanks for sharing.

I cant wait to see the next updated photo.

Good Luck with it all..

 

[redbellybite]

Must say this is getting really interesting ...so many different opinions ...it all boils down in the end to the 'proof is in the pudding' ..so once those babies are coming out then the reality of what has been done prior to hatching will come to crunchtime ...just keep putting up the pics ..very enthralling thread ...

 

[Just_Joshin]

I think what Fay is asking is if the eggs are pipped in such a way, and the contents exposed, is the chance of bacterial exposure heightened?

As far as the sealed water only environment goes Fay, I wouldn't think that it would stop it completely given that water on it's own can still provide a breeding ground for bacteria.

I think you'll find Rams was answering her second question, which in turn answers her first.

To sum it up. Q1 - Yes it does and Q2 - no it doesn't. :lol:

 

[Kersten]

Oh good lord JJ, you've hurt my brain....

I thought his answer was based on intact eggs, my mistake!

 

[zulu]

re These

Why does everyone seem to judge experience according to how many pythons they can breed and breeding albinos is such a major success proving experience?They are just carpets after all and breeding carpets isn't exactly rocket science.I have also been told it's illegal to breed albinos but everyone or most that have them will breed them. << Browns
Your right there browns,hatching out carpets isnt rocket science they are easy easy like childrens and beardys,cant see what the fuss is about,as long as they get some oxygen theyll be alright,it seems a bit overkill IMO

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

hey keeping and australian pythons ...great book, was all you needed,i wouldnt have been worried until after the average time betwen laying and hatching and candling the eggs to check development.but you learn by trial and error i guess, it is a facinating subject and probaly the most interesting part of the hobby is breeding and seeing what happens
good luck,there worth a few bob those little pythons

 

[REDbiv]

hey keeping and australian pythons ...great book, was all you needed,i wouldnt have been worried until after the average time betwen laying and hatching and candling the eggs to check development.but you learn by trial and error i guess, it is a facinating subject and probaly the most interesting part of the hobby is breeding and seeing what happens
good luck,there worth a few bob those little pythons

X2
Bought this book on Wed for some "light" reading material on the plane home from Vic-WA. Heaps of pics, plenty of generic info with sections containing specific info for the different species

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

Day 53: Almost all heads in correct position.
As promised new photos.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[azn4114]

sweeeeet...

 

[Cuddly_pony]

Congrats CP.com.au
thanks for posting very interesting info and piccies I didnt even know what pipping was!!!
Lol
P.S. I can definately see some colour in the first pic top right hand corner

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

Just for the record: Reptile eggs do not have umbilical cords.