Materials Needed for one incubator
*1 water thermostat/heater ( obtainable from feed stores these are commonly used in incubators for chicks)
* 1 thermonmeter
* 1 heat tape (obtained from hardware or garden stores)
* 1 styrofoam cooler (one with thick sides-a fish shipping box is ideal)
* 1 electric cord with plug
Directions:
1. Poke a hole through the lid of the styrofoam cooler,and suspend the thermostat/heater from the inside.Add another hole for a thermometer so you can check the inside temperature without opening the lid.If there's no flange on the thermometer to keep it from slipping through the hole in the lid, use a rubber band wound several times around the thermometer to form a flange.
2.Transverse the bottom of the cooler with the heat tape and wire the tape to the thermostat,and the electric cord to the thermostat.
3.Put the lid on the cooler,and plug in the thermostat/heater.Wait half an hour,then check the temperature.Adjust the temperature inside the incubator is about 80 to 86F (27-30 C)
The L-pin "handle" on the top of the thermostat is the rheostat.
4.Once you have the temperature regulated,put the container of eggs inside the incubator and close the lid.
5.Check the temperature daily and add a little water to the incubating medium as needed.The preferred humidity is 100% which can be accomplished by keeping the hatching medium of peat and soil damp to touch but too dry to squeeze out any water by hand.
Artificial Incubation:
If your female is laying her eggs,or if you've decided to remove the eggs being cared for by an incubating python,get your incubator ready.turn it on and let it warm up,to 88 to 90 F (31.1-32.2 C).
Prepare a series of eggs" storage"boxes with incubation medium,and let them warm up in the incubator.
Boxes to use:
The boxes used to house the eggs during incubation are generally appropriately sized plastic boxes with ventilation holes and solid lid.Incubation material can be moistened perlite,sphagnum,peat moss,or vermiculite.To moisten the material,simply add water,stir to mix then remove handfuls and squeeze until you can't squeeze any more water out.the medium should be damp enough to hold its shape when squeezed.
Removing the eggs:
If you decide to remove the eggs from the incubating female,she will probably not offer to bite during this process,but she may push at you or butt you with her coils,and this can bequite startling.mark each egg with a penciled X to indicate the upward side as the egg was laid.Once you have removed the eggs,look for any that are small or misshapen and discard them.If you are unsure if some eggs are bad,go ahead and set up the clutch in incubation.Your nose will tell you in about ten days if the eggs are fertile or not.
Placing the eggs in the incubator
nestle the eggs in the incubation medium,marked side up.Check the temperature daily and keep the incubation medium moist.The hatching medium of peat and soil should be damp to touch but too dry to squeeze out any water when squeezed by your hand.
Determining fertility:
How do you know if the eggs are fertile? By the end of the first week,those eggs that are not fertile will turn yellow,harden,and begin to collapse.Those that are fertile will remain white and turgid to touch.Infertile eggs may mold,but this is seldom transferred to healthy eggs.
Stages of incubating
During the first six to eight weeks:
During the first six to eight weeks of incubation the eggs should gradually swell as they develop.If during this time the eggs are beginning to indent, it means they are not getting enough moisture and you need to check the level of humidity.
In the final week of incubation,most eggs will begin to indent.This is normal,but at this time it is extremely important for the eggs to have adequate ventilation in the incubator.There are tiny snakes inside those eggs,and they now need more oxygen than before.
The babies:
At the end of the incubation period- which may be as little as two weeks for some species but is usually 60 - 70 days the baby pythons will cut a slit in their egg with the egg tooth on the tip of their snout.
The babies do not seem eager to leave the egg.They will cut a slit,look out,and decide to stay inside the egg for a while longer,perhaps as long as a day and a half.those that leave the egg can be removed to other terrariums or plastic shoe boxes and offered food,a sunning spot and water.they should shed within a few days.
