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reggie_69
Egg
United Kingdom
93 Posts |
 Posted - 31/05/2011 : 01:45:39
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Hey guys rescuing a friends corn snakes I have been woken up tonite and found so far 5 baby eggs, totally not prepared I was going to separate them but the previous owner "couldn't deal with them anymore" and was cohabitating them, I need some help guys! How do I know they are fertile? Im guessing I need a incubator? I live in gloucester if people could suggest something or places to get the required equipment maybe even some help?? Do I need to take the male out or eggs out? Please guys I would appreciate some help! Thanks reg!
***stickied and title changed by GP*** |
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SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3796 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 07:54:39
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I made this a while back for someone else and it has come in handy since then- so here you go.
Firstly, stay calm. Leave her a period of time to ensure she has laid all the eggs- any still to come should be clearly visible as lumps towards her back end. If you disturb her too soon she may decide to hang onto them, which can cause problems.
You need to decide whether the eggs are fertile or infertile- fertile eggs should be white, plump and slightly soft under a very gentle touch. Infertile eggs are normally yellow or brown, misshapen, hard and small. Have a look at the photo below (not mine)-
The infertile egg is the bottom right one, the rest are good.
If the eggs are fertile, read on for what to do with them. If not, put the eggs in the bin and keep an eye on the female for further eggs or problems. Treat her the same as if the eggs were fertile.
If you are not sure about your eggs then post up a picture, or incubate them anyway. Infertile eggs will soon go mouldy and start to smell.
Now, you have a few choices as to what to do with the fertile eggs-
1. put them in the freezer. This will "kill" them. Don't worry, the unborn snakes are barely more than cells atm and will feel no pain.
2. take them to a local reptile shop and see of they will take them from you to incubate themselves
3. see if you can find a local keeper willing to have them and incubate them
(both the above options can result in total handing over of the eggs, you getting a share back or you getting all back- depends on the person)
4. incubate them yourselves.
Whatever you choose, when moving the eggs, make sure you don't turn them! This can cause the yolk to suffocate the embryo. If need be, mark the eggs very carefully with a pencil line so you know which is the right side up.
For making an incubator you will need-
a polystyrene box, available from fishmongers or nice reptile shops
a suitably sized heatmat, ideally to cover the base of the above box
a stat, on/off will do
digital thermometer
some sort of egg box with lid (tupperware is great) with a few small holes in the lid
a medium for the eggs- sphagnum moss or vermiculite, both from garden centers
hygrometer for measuring humidity (optional)
Put the mat into the bottom of the box.
Attach the stat, plug in, set to around 28c.
In goes thermometer.
Whilst heating up, half fill the egg box with the moss or vermiculite, which should be dampened, but not wet. When squeezed, it should not yield too many drips of water.
Put the eggs in the box, in a clump if need be, pushed slightly into the medium.
Put the lid on the box. If need be, stick the box into the viv on a heatmat for the time being. The incubator wants to be at around 28c with the lid ON- bear in mind that polystyrene is very insulating, and the temp inside the box may exceed by far what the stat dial says. Play around to get it spot on. Temp should not exceed 30c.
Humidity should be around 90%+
When happy, put the egg box into the incubator on something to raise it up- a cake rack, polystyrene blocks, whatever. You don't want the box directly on top of the mat. Put the lid on the incubator, take a deep breath and have a cup of tea.
Eggs will take around 60 days to hatch, sometimes more and sometimes less. Usually eggs take longer to hatch at lower temps. Once a week open the egg box to allow an exchange of air. The eggs should remain plump, white and the box should be showing condensation.If they are starting to dry and shrivel up its probably too dry. Wet the medium, not the eggs, with water at the same temp of the incubator- this will stop the embryos being shocked by cold water. If the eggs start to go mouldy its maybe too wet.
Offer the female something small to eat a few hours after she has finished laying. Offer a small food item more frequently than normal until she regains her lost condition.
If the female is living with a male, or another cagemate of any sex, I strongly recommend you split them up. Always leave the laying female in the existing setup to avoid stress and complications- set up a new load of equipment for the other snake, and move that one.
Any probs, get back on here.
Good luck.
MODS- maybe this could be sticked? |
9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python
Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/ |
Edited by - SexyBear77 on 31/05/2011 07:59:56 |
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vetdebbie
Hatchling
United Kingdom
108 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 21:28:17
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That is a really good post above.
Can I just add 1 comment? If they are fertile and you are unhappy with the prospect of having lots of baby snakes, there is nothing to say you HAVE to incubate them. You could freeze them and discard them. Or ask if a local reptile shop would like them to incubate and sell on. |
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SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3796 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 21:37:59
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quote:
Originally posted by vetdebbie
That is a really good post above.
Can I just add 1 comment? If they are fertile and you are unhappy with the prospect of having lots of baby snakes, there is nothing to say you HAVE to incubate them. You could freeze them and discard them. Or ask if a local reptile shop would like them to incubate and sell on.
It says that already-
Now, you have a few choices as to what to do with the fertile eggs-
1. put them in the freezer. This will "kill" them. Don't worry, the unborn snakes are barely more than cells atm and will feel no pain.
2. take them to a local reptile shop and see of they will take them from you to incubate themselves
3. see if you can find a local keeper willing to have them and incubate them
(both the above options can result in total handing over of the eggs, you getting a share back or you getting all back- depends on the person)
4. incubate them yourselves.
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9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python
Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/ |
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Only1Nitro
Hatchling
United Kingdom
160 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2011 : 01:03:06
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freezing is not something id like to do to be hones,t but its down to you.
good luck keep us posted |
Male Charcoal = Sterling
Female Carolina = Fofo
Female Butter = Amarelo
12 Eggs
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vetdebbie
Hatchling
United Kingdom
108 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2011 : 21:59:56
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quote:
Originally posted by SexyBear77
[quote]
It says that already-
Now, you have a few choices as to what to do with the fertile eggs-
1. put them in the freezer. This will "kill" them. Don't worry, the unborn snakes are barely more than cells atm and will feel no pain.
2. take them to a local reptile shop and see of they will take them from you to incubate themselves
3. see if you can find a local keeper willing to have them and incubate them
(both the above options can result in total handing over of the eggs, you getting a share back or you getting all back- depends on the person)
4. incubate them yourselves.
As you can tell I read your post REALLY closely. Ooops sorry!!  |
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Invalid User
Account Deactivated
United Kingdom
0 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2011 : 22:41:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Only1Nitro
freezing is not something id like to do to be hones,t but its down to you.
good luck keep us posted
Why not? Better than having unwanted, unplanned for babies later on that may be hard to sell/rehome.
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2011 : 09:29:28
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and better than not freezing them, chucking them in the bin and them ending up somewhere nice and warm, and damp, and incubating, and hatching.......
how bl***y irresponsible would that be??!!* |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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mikerichards
don't say the 'M' word!
United Kingdom
2901 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2011 : 16:53:40
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quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
and better than not freezing them, chucking them in the bin and them ending up somewhere nice and warm, and damp, and incubating, and hatching.......
how bl***y irresponsible would that be??!!*
Agreed, stranger things have happened!
Freezing the eggs merely stops the fertilised egg from becoming a baby snake, at the point they are laid i dont think they are technically alive, they do more or less nothing for the first 48 hours after being laid, so freezing them does not cause any pain or suffering, unlike someone dumping 20 odd baby snakes because they are too expensive to feed and heat. |
Location : Worthing, West Sussex
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Only1Nitro
Hatchling
United Kingdom
160 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2011 : 19:37:43
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quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
and better than not freezing them, chucking them in the bin and them ending up somewhere nice and warm, and damp, and incubating, and hatching.......
how bl***y irresponsible would that be??!!*
has that actually happened?
surley not?
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Male Charcoal = Sterling
Female Carolina = Fofo
Female Butter = Amarelo
12 Eggs
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2011 : 21:50:24
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| You stick them in a bin and they end up in land fill the heat coming off the rotting garbage could incubate them, its a slim chance they'd survive the journey but not impossible. At least if you freeze them they dont develop. |
Anery Corn snake SPOT. Royal Python, DUKE. Hogg Island Boa, SANKE. Albino House Snake, HAL.
Harlequin Crested Gecko HARLEY
Albino Horned Frog WAKA
Chilean Rose Tarantula TRIXIE. Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula SAM. Orange Baboon Tarantula BORIS.
Giant Asian Forest Scorpion, SALLY.
Giant African Land Snails, SHELDON & MICHELLE.
Budwing Mantis, MAIA
Dubia Roach Colony. Silkworm Colony. Mealworm Colony. Waxworm Colony. Fruit Beetle Colony.
MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/user/alocheeky |
Edited by - lotabob on 03/06/2011 21:51:20 |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2011 : 08:38:51
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and if you don't know how warm decomposing matter can be, i suggest you try standing on the muck heap at your local riding school (just as an example, not because i want everyone smelling of horse poo  ) |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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vetdebbie
Hatchling
United Kingdom
108 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2011 : 11:58:34
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| Plus which - don't they in the wild lay in decomposing leaf litter to provide the temperatures required for hatching? |
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2011 : 16:01:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Only1Nitro
quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
and better than not freezing them, chucking them in the bin and them ending up somewhere nice and warm, and damp, and incubating, and hatching.......
how bl***y irresponsible would that be??!!*
has that actually happened?
surley not?
Yep it happens. Grass snakes often use bins for laying their eggs. |
   
A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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herriotfan
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5853 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2011 : 17:08:30
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They love compost bins........every year my mum has loads of grass snakes on her allotments in the compost bins.
I second the suggestion that this thread should be a 'sticky'........mods? |
Husband....Very Understanding!!! (Phil)
Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol)
Granddaughter (Eva)
3.4.0 Cornsnakes Amel (Sidney) Caramel Stripe (Sultan) Amber (Cleo) Carolina (Phoebe) Anery Motley Stripe (Penny) Snow (Lily) Caramel (Holmes)
1.2.0 Royal Pythons(Peeps, Pandora & Pepsi)
1.0.0 Hognose (Hudson)
2.1.0 Dogs (Dillon, Alfie, Ellie)
0.1.0 Senegal Parrot (Peanut)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (Bonnie & Clyde)
1.0.0 Crested Geckos (Echo)
0.2.1 Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie & Twiglet)
0.1.0 Guinea Pig (Dolly-Pipsqueak)
0.1.9 Tarantulas (Poppy, Gypsy, Bumble, Insey Winsey, Sonic, Cookie, Raven, Fudge, Titch & Sox)
??? Foster animals
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2011 : 17:12:16
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stickied and the title changed to be more 'search friendly'
OP - hope you don't mind the change from 'Heellllpppp!!!!'  |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3796 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2011 : 19:40:36
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| Kinda was what I was wanting my post stickied as- it was aimed at people dealing with unexpected eggs..... now it just looks like 2 very similar threads. |
9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python
Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/ |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2011 : 20:29:28
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link to your thread on this one hun and vice versa?
though this thread seems to be more about how to dispose of them ethically rather than incubating them...... |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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Topic |
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What to do with eggs i'm not prepared for?
