Big Mistake

[Symba]

Found fifteen eggs in childrens python cage. Even though i had an icecream container with vermiculture in it, she quite happly seem to nest in it, the cage floor is covered with newspaper, she laid these eggs on the timber floor and were stuck fast. I removed them with a bit of trouble but did not use anything but my hands. Placed them in my incubator two days later it looks like i killed about nine of them as they are yellow and some smell. Is there any way of safely removing the bad eggs. Would appreciate any help you could give me.

 

[peterjohnson64]

Thats terrible news Symba. sorry I cant help you but it is certainly a timely post. Perhaps soome of our more expereinced breeders could advise as to what we should place in our enclosures when our snakes are first found gravid.

 

[mickousley]

Yes
a bit of bad news last year one of my diamonds droped her eggs from a branch in the cage i got there to see the last egg fall none hatched
Mick

 

[Tanzen]

sad news . My coastals ignored laying boxes and went for news paper. maternally incubated one lot and moved the other. had success separating eggs with my fingernails, gentle slice slice between the eggs. then wiped off any muck i could from good eggs.

 

[Symba]

Thank you for your replies.
Tazen that is a good idea on how to remove them, just not looking forward to doing it.
It seemed to be only the ones touching the timber tha have died or gone yellow.
My coastal wont get the chance to do this i have stuck down all the news paper with masking tape so she cant get under it.
Thank you once again.

 

[MrBredli]

Not a good idea... sticky tape is a snakes worst enemy.. i would remove it immediately if i were you. I learnt the hard way unfortunately. There was a thread on the subject recently.

 

[The Rock]

yeah no need to use tape, just make sure there are a couple of layers that lie flat on the floor so that they cant get under.

 

[Guest]

No tape bad idea

 

[serpenttongue]

Perhaps while she's gravid you can switch to BC cat litter.

Symba the safest way to remove eggs that are adhered to the rest of the clutch is to use dental floss. Get the floss that is waxed and carefully cut back and forth between the eggs, stopping occasionally to carefully work the eggs apart.

 

[congo_python]

Does it have to be mint flavoured dental floss or will any do?? :lol: :roll:

 

[Symba]

Thank you for your replies, tape is gone. Will get cat litter first thing tommorrow. I will let you know how i go with everything.
Thank you once again.

 

[matto]

my cat litter has a warning for pregnant women to avoid contact might be some sort of poison in it too!

 

[congo_python]

BC = "breeders choice" cat liter it is a paper based brand, you can pick it up from most pet outlets.