Royal Python-Python Regius & Other Snakes

Oops

Well I have a gravid female. For the last month Ive been watching a friends female royal python. She is gravid. my friend tried to mate her but though it was unsuccessful, He gave up and went on vacation, but now I see that it was! I am excited because I get the babies. However I don't have an incubator, and I'm expecting eggs in approx 2-3 weeks. Anyone know how to make a really efficient home made style incubator?


Thanks

PS I might cave and buy one, but want to explore the cheaper option first.

Here is a video on you tube on how to build a incubator:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzOf0AL1IpM
ANY WAY GOOD LOOK WITH THE BABIES AND EGGS

This is a wonderful thing to experience and hope you get along alright.

My 'home made' incubator worked out much cheaper than commercially bought incubators. I have included a couple of pictures at the end of the post. The important thing is to maintain the heat and humidity. A digital thermometer is an excellent method and incubation temperatures should be easier to maintain in the USA anyway.

It is important to note that temperature does matter in producing healthy hatchlings, otherwise there could be physical or colour deformities. The ideal temperature for incubation would be between 80-90 degrees.

A polystyrene box serves well as an incubator. You should be able to get one, possibly ‘free’ from a pet store, where they may be used for packaging goods or even viv’s. I’m sure there are other outlets that use them too as they are still widely used for safe packaging. Your local fishmonger will have these which provide excellent insulation.

A thermostatically controlled heat mat to provide the heat. As mentioned use a digital thermometer to accurately record the temperature.

A lidded plastic/perspec ‘see through’ container is ideal to house the eggs and keep an easy eye on them. You may need to improvise depending on the amount of eggs / space required, for Royals this could be either side of six fair sized eggs depending on the size of the snake, some suggest you can expect one egg to every 300g although I’m not sure how accurate this estimation is. You may get some slugs but incubate all the eggs, you never know. If you find a suitably sized container without a lid or not see-through, you can use a piece of plastic or glass to lay on top

Vermiculite, use reptile quality, garden center vermiculite may contain soil which may encourage egg rot.

Egg box or something improvised which will stand on top of the heat mat keeping the egg box from direct contact with the heat source.

You should ideally set up the incubator prior to laying, turn on the heat source a few days before you expect delivery. Let her lay all the eggs before removing them which may take a while, the heat in the viv will suffice at this time. Once you think all the eggs have been laid, give her time to relax, then carefully remove and place in the incubator ensuring you maintain the position the eggs were laid in. Often the snake will have coiled round the eggs, but you shouldn’t have too much problem removing them as she will be tired, but do give her the appropriate respect and care. It is important to keep them the way they were laid to deter any unnecessary fatalities.

Setting up the incubator is quite simple. Make appropriately sized holes in the polystyrene to thread through the thermometer lead and the heat mat lead. Keep the cut out bits to ‘plug’ the holes to a minimum to retain heat.

Place the heat mat on the floor of the box and stand the egg box tray, or whatever you decide to use on top. If using the incubator is imminent turn on the heat source.

Fill the egg holding container ½ to ¾ full of vermiculite and pour on boiling hot water, enough to keep the vermiculite damp but not sodden – it should feel almost dry. If the vermiculite is too wet, this can also encourage the eggs to rot. Push the sensor of the thermometer into the vermiculite and wait until you are happy with the temperature, probably about 86-88 degrees. It is important to try and maintain a constant heat throughout the substrate, pushing the sensor down into the material helps you to regulate and ensure this.

Do not bury the eggs, but make a dip for them to ‘sit’ in without rolling so that they are held in the position laid, only go up to half the depth of the egg. Do not worry if some are stuck together, it is usually safer to leave them that way unless they do separate easily.

Carefully transfer the eggs into the incubator, possibly scooping them from underneath, taking note of there upright position. Put on the lid or clear glass / plastic top which will also help maintain the heat and also retain the moisture helping you maintain humidity.

Ideally you do want some condensation in the egg container, but not an excessive amount. Once a week air the eggs by lifting off the lid, but be careful not to let the condensation drip onto the eggs. If it seems too wet, leave the lid off for a while. If it seems too dry, add some water to the vermiculite, - not near the eggs.

The eggs should take about sixty days to hatch ideally although this could go either way. Usually the heads of the whole clutch will appear within 24 hours of the first. Do not try to coach out the snakes or remove them from the eggs, they will emerge when they are ready to. They will not leave the egg straight away, absorbing the yolk before crawling out which can be 24-48 hours later. You may wish at this point to transfer the container to a small viv. After 1 – 2 weeks they will shed at which point you should try to feed them.

Keep a record of the day laid, daily temperature fluctuations, hatching, number hatched, leaving the egg, first shed, first meal etc.

You will have to let us know how you get on, good luck.

That last image is ADORABLE!!!