Happy times - pipping!

[pythonmum]

It is day 55 for this clutch and this afternoon the first little explorer stuck its head out:

I love watching them peek out. I have pipped the rest and placed them in their hatching container. Should be putting the first one into a click clack tomorrow evening. Then the fun begins!

I had a lot of variation in hydration of the eggs, depending on whether they were near the loose side of the lid or not. I incubated over water, but chose not to seal it tightly this year, as the eggs really inflated last year (all gained mass up to 10g!). The first to pip was on the damp side and gained 7g during incubation, while my most caved in ones lost 7g. Variation is all from water moving in or out throught the egg pores. I think I'll seal again next year, as I like a plumper egg. Nevertheless, all had good vessel development and movement late in incubation.

 

[Icarus]

gorgeous! congrats. what are they? albino darwins?

 

[pythonmum]

gorgeous! congrats. what are they? albino darwins?

Yes, albino Darwins. Mum is in my signature.

 

[FAY]

Big Congrats Pythonmum. How exciting. I am looking forward to mine in about 16 days. First time with albinos...I just cannot wait.

 

[Stuart]

Congrats PM, fantastic photos.

 

[cathy1986]

i want i want i want!!!!!!!!!

Cathy

 

[the_brad]

Would b good to know which have a better feeding response, the ones that gained weight or lost weight

 

[pythonmum]

Big Congrats Pythonmum. How exciting. I am looking forward to mine in about 16 days. First time with albinos...I just cannot wait.

Can't wait to see the stripes on yours, Fay. My first clutch was the most exciting - especially since I bred her with a het. When I got 7 brown and 6 pink, I was thrilled by the near perfect Mendelian ratio. People speculate about albinos being harder to raise, etc, but I have found them very easy. They are certainly easier to feed than perthensis! They also have such mellow personalities that they are a joy to handle and deal with. I look forward to your hatching photos.

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Would b good to know which have a better feeding response, the ones that gained weight or lost weight

Last year all eggs gained weight and feeding response was variable. Some ate like pigs from the beginning, others took longer to start. Was the same as the first clutch where all caved in before hatching.

 

[CaptainRatbag]

Awsome work, P-mum.... well done.... so cute!

 

[GeckoRider]

I'm so jealous!

I'm getting two 10month old Darwin hets (male and female) in a few weeks.. so hopfully in just a few short years I'll get to experience this!

 

[HerpAddict]

Can I just . . . Have one? I really gotta save up so I can get one.

 

[Thyla]

Congrats.
So reptile eggs gain weight during incubation, and bird eggs lose weight. This is confusing. Anyone know why this is?

 

[pythonmum]

Water, oxygen and carbon dioxide move through the tiny pores in the eggshell. Reptile eggs would generally lose weight, but because mine are incubated over water in saturated humidity, they tend to gain weight.

Four little heads poking out this morning at 7am. I should be placing the first few in click clacks tonight or tomorrow. This bit is so fun!

 

[SteveNT]

Woo hoo!!!!

 

[Justdragons]

Four little heads poking out this morning at 7am. I should be placing the first few in click clacks tonight or tomorrow. This bit is so fun!

People ask why breed pythons if not for money... well i think that statement sums it up fairly well. im not breeding pythons this year cause things didnt kick off in the bedroom for my pair but i am for the first time with beardiesand i feel like a kid a christmas. congratulations and would you post a few more pics when you get home of the little guys?

 

[FAY]

Absolutely unreal.....

Water, oxygen and carbon dioxide move through the tiny pores in the eggshell. Reptile eggs would generally lose weight, but because mine are incubated over water in saturated humidity, they tend to gain weight.

Four little heads poking out this morning at 7am. I should be placing the first few in click clacks tonight or tomorrow. This bit is so fun!

 

[MonitorMayhem]

congrats let the fun begin

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congrats let the fun begin

 

[cathy1986]

more photos!!!!!

 

[pythonmum]

At 7am I had 4 peeping out. At 4pm there were 9 peeping out, but no one had left the egg yet. At 9pm, this is what I found:

Of the four which had emerged, the weights were 3x 28 g and one at 27g. Nice size for a little Darwin. I have cleaned out the abandoned eggs and replaced the paper towel to give the rest a fresh substrate. I suspect more will be emerging before morning. Here are a few of the eggs with the little pink periscope heads:

So exciting!

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Here's a shot from earlier in the day when number 3 was trying to see what the neighbours were doing and number 2 was blowing bubbles. Those two have emerged, but number 1 is still thinking about it.

 

[Cold-B-Hearts]

you must be so proud