1st clutch while on holidays

Hi all, 2nd post so please dont flame me.
While on a weeks holidays my girl laid her first clutch inside her hide. The enclosure is a 6ft aquarium with a large hide at the hot end (app 28-30 deg) a basking lamp over the hide and a heat mat in the centre (which is always on) and uv lamp over the centre with a large water bowl in the cool end. I pulled the male out and put a large icecream container with kitchen paper and app .5" water to help with humidity under the uv lamp. She is mainly on the clutch but is more active now the male is out. When she was on the clutch last night i saw her twitching with after reading up sounds normal but when I checked the temp (just outside the hide ) it was 24 deg so I put the basking lamp back on (was off as the hot weather here in SA was 35-40 before I went on holiday) I caught a look at the clutch today and counted app 16 eggs-she has been moving the eggs around a bit, is this normal? Hoping to get some feedback-advice as to how to best proceed. I am only a novice snake owner (5yrs approx) but am hoping to hatch this clutch out if I can.
Thanks in advance to any help/advice offered. Have read some online stuff but really looking for first hand real world info that will help.
Cheers SS
(Darren)
sorry crap pic from phone through glass

A couple of things - don't let the hide area where the clutch is get any higher than about 28C - let the snake make the final upward adjustment herself. If it gets above what she wants it to be, she may desert the eggs. Also, put heaps of loosely crumpled newspaper in the tank and mist it to keep it constantly damp (not wet), avoiding the hide where the snake is. This will significantly add to the humidity, which is what you want.

Jamie

Thanks Jamie, I will monitor temp and have put newspaper and misted this morning.
What is the lowest temp to be wary of I may need to take basking globe back out as it can get warm under it( but it's on at night-so will keep an eye on it)
thanks again and if anyone has any other advice I am all ears as I would dearly love to hatch this clutch.
Ps have noticed a few times now my boy is not in the inclosure that she will roam a bit around then return to the clutch- is this normal?
When should I offer her a feed again as she refused the last 2
Thanks again ss

If she's naturally incubating she won't feed until they hatch...

Well all seems to be going well, my girl will move the eggs around a little bit inside her hide- is this normal? Eggs look a little "deflated" not sure f this is normal. Hope it's just me being overly concerned. Have been keeping hide area eggs are in about 25-27 deg with moist crumpled newspaper at other end of tank for moisture
fingers crossed

SILVERSTREAK said:

Well all seems to be going well, my girl will move the eggs around a little bit inside her hide- is this normal? Eggs look a little "deflated" not sure f this is normal. Hope it's just me being overly concerned. Have been keeping hide area eggs are in about 25-27 deg with moist crumpled newspaper at other end of tank for moisture
fingers crossed

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Yes, it's normal for maternally incubated eggs to start looking a bit rough after 3-4 weeks, and they can look pretty "collapsed" and sunken for quite a while before they hatch - generally longer than for artificially incubated eggs. If you can, I'd lift the temp by a couple of degrees, but as long as the mother is incubating well, it shouldn't be a problem for the eggs - it just means the female isn't using as much of her own energy reserves to keep them at her preferred temp. I'm sure she'll be fine if you can't.

Good luck !

Jamie

Thankyou for the reassurance, i am feeling a bit out of my depth here. What preparations should I make for my new arrivals all going to plan? I have a 2 ft tank that was my first Viv when I got my 2 month old and my boy is in the ATM was hoping I use this or do I need sePerate containers? If separate how do I control heat etc?

Cheers ss

SILVERSTREAK said:

Thankyou for the reassurance, i am feeling a bit out of my depth here. What preparations should I make for my new arrivals all going to plan? I have a 2 ft tank that was my first Viv when I got my 2 month old and my boy is in the ATM was hoping I use this or do I need sePerate containers? If separate how do I control heat etc?

Cheers ss

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You must have separate containers so you can monitor the wellbeing of all hatchlings individually, and so that you can get them feeding one by one - it will be murder and mayhem if you have them together. I use the 5L containers from the Reject Shop (about $2.50-$3.00 each) and although I use a hatchy rack, you can just lay one end of each across a couple of strands of heat cord to keep the floor warm at one end. Usually don't need a thermostat - heat cords are much safer than heat mats. How many eggs are there approx?

Jamie

It's hard to get a good look but I have seem approx 15 eggs inside the hide.
Where can I get this heat cord I will need from? Do the containers need a hide and perch?
Thanks again SS

I use a couple of layers of paper towel on the bottom, and the inside of toilet rolls, slightly flattened to stop them from rolling, as hides. Perch isn't really necessary for Carpet babies at this stage. Heat cords can be purchased online from any of the reptile gear sellers - URS or Herp Shop to name just two. You may need to calculate the wattages (length) you need to get sufficient coverage for all tubs. I'll do a measure and calculation for you sometime this morning with the stuff I have here. The first 500mm or so of the heat cord produces no heat.

Jamie

My girl was of the clutch today and I spotted some dark coloured eggs on the end of the string of eggs. I fear they are not vviable also 1 in the middle looks sus as well.
Not sure what to do next any advice?

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Not sure if I need to separate the "bad" looking eggs and don't want to loose the whole.clutch. The eggs still another 20 odd days to go by my calculations. Getting concerned.

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