Why 7 eggs but 5 slugs

[Marzzy]

Recently my BHP laid 7 eggs but unfortunately only 2 were fertile I've read that poor quality of the males sperm can cause this is there any other reasons ?

The eggs all looked Healthy apart from that they were a lot smaller then the fertile eggs they were also nice and white but when you candled them they only had a tiny round red bit in them.

Was very disappointing only my first clutch so I guess it can only get better.

Cheers

 

[creaturesofhabit]

It happens... Better luck next year

 

[deebo]

with the number of things that have to go right to get a fertile egg....5 out of 7 aint bad!

Hopefully you get a perfect clutch next year.

 

[orientalis]

Recently my BHP laid 7 eggs but unfortunately only 2 were fertile I've read that poor quality of the males sperm can cause this is there any other reasons ?

The eggs all looked Healthy apart from that they were a lot smaller then the fertile eggs they were also nice and white but when you candled them they only had a tiny round red bit in them.

Was very disappointing only my first clutch so I guess it can only get better.

Cheers

There are a number of reasons why eggs can be infertile, not necessarily the males fault either.
Temperature is probably the most critical factor in successful reproduction for reptiles.

If the males and females are not given the correct environmental conditions for an adequate amount of time, the eggs can be produced but be infertile......doesn't mean there is something wrong with the male or him being to young etc...........it can be one of many reasons or a combination of multiple reasons......either way, you can refine your method and apply more time and effort to observations and learn more and not only try again, but improve your outcomes and enjoy the whole experience........but it takes time and effort to enjoy consistent success.

First clutch or not..........depends how you look at it...........I always say, 1 is better than none!

Best of luck with the incubation and hope you crack something for your effort.

Cheers
Mick

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Never be in to much of a rush to dispose of eggs unless you are certain they are slugs. Fertile eggs can often show nothing on the first attempt to candle them but a week later can show normal development.

If the eggs look good and white stick them in the incubator and just keep an eye on them. You might get a nice surprise.

 

[Pythons Rule]

I second what Pauls_Pythons said. I hope you didn't through them they sounded ok still, if they where candled yellow with no pink then I still would of incubated them separate from the known healthy eggs but if yellow and no pink more then likely they are infertile eggs. I would have candled a couple of days after laying but that's me. best luck with the ones you have.

 

[caliherp]

I agree with Paul's pythons and pythons rule. If in doubt incubate. I don't candle my eggs anymore. I candled a clutch of gecko eggs a few years ago. They were about two weeks out. One of them started spinning in the egg and split it. It didn't absorb all of its yolk yet so needless to say I killed it because I was impatient. I put the ones that don't look fertile in a different box from the fertile looking ones just in awe they start to mold and it spreads. Like has all ready been stated, sometimes there will be ones that seem infertile only to start growing veins a few days later. Good luck getting the remaining two to hatch.

 

[Pythons Rule]

I second Caliherp, on not candling at a later stage, I know for me I can get a bit impatient with eggs and I think this is where I may have gone wrong. but it doesn't help moving vire road across the country last year with eggs, I did candle at a later stage and all bar one bhp bub came out tied up in umbilical cord or not fully formed on its belly. I believe a bumpy road trip and candling was the main problem. I have seen pictures of other babies still coming out tied up in umbilical cords and they have been in one place through out. if I new I was moving I would of not bred them that year. all hatched bar 1 which sadly got to hot a day before I got back to my mums they had a very hot day. it was like mums colour Caramel .

also I found that bhp's eggs are a lot more developed along to other python species when finally laid and the red circle on top is the embryo. they are more hardier then we give them credit for.

Good Luck