simsons advise

[snake101]

hi i am pretty sure my stimsons python is gravid and she had her prelay shed 2 weeks ago i have got an ice cream container in the enclosure for her with vermiculite mixed with water 40/60 ratio 40 being water. half on the heating and half off i have turned the incubator on ready and waiting at 31 deg, does all this sound right? is this will be my first clutch and i would like to do it as best for my snake as possible..

i have got a hova bator incubator.

what would be the best thing to put the eggs in eg chinese takeaway dish?? with few small holes in the top of it??

any help or advise would be greatly appreciated

thanks a heap

 

[Mangles]

The ice cream container in with her should have sphagnum moss in it, not the vermiculite. The 60/40 vermiculte mix is what you put the eggs on in a container in the incubator.

I use a sealed container for the eggs, and I put a small hole in the lid, but a lot of people don't put any holes in it. Seems to be more a personal thing.

 

[snake101]

is there realy much of a differnce to what they lay there eggs in or on not being rude just woundering because if it is i will change it thanks for the reply

 

[snake101]

and is it just spa moss or do i need to make it a bit damp thanks

 

[Mangles]

is there realy much of a differnce to what they lay there eggs in or on not being rude just woundering because if it is i will change it thanks for the reply

Vermiculite and sphagnum moss are very different. I have heard of people putting a small layer of vermiculite in with the sphagnum moss, which would probably help retain the moisture. Vermiculite is a lot rougher texture.

The moss needs to be moist, but not wet.

I have just had two Coastals lay and neither used the laying box I supplied. One crammed in her normal hide box and the other did it under sheets of paper. I would also put some loose sheets of paper in for her as every snake is different and a lot like to lay between paper. Just make sure they cannot get under all the paper onto the bottom of the enclosure, because you do not want the eggs to stick to the enclosure.

 

[snake101]

do you know where i could purchase the moss from caled the pet shop and they cant help me would bunning sell it and also wot container could i incubate the eggs in would a large chinese takeaway dish be alright??

 

[Vixen]

Bunnings usually sell it, unless they have run out.

Id also check like a gardening store aswell.

 

[Mangles]

Bunnins sells Spaghnum moss. I personally use Sistema brand containers, because they seal very well, with clips on them, and you can also buy them at Bunnings.

You could probably use a Chinese container.

 

[snake101]

ok thanks a heap for that any other advise would be appriciated

 

[KaneMortlock]

HOvabators

Be very careful with your HOvabator incubator. I found (much to my shock/disbelief) that my one of these incubators does not have a proper thermostat in it.

It only allows you to set a temperature (which you do at a certain room temperature). If the room temperature then drops 5 degrees, so will the temperature inside! It lacks the ability to regulate its temperature to a certain temperature independent of the ambient room temperature.

Frankly, I still think this is unacceptable idiocy. I went to my incubator expecting all to be well, got out my electronic thermo/hydrometer and pushed the button just to see a maximum/minimum temp (better to be safe than sorry i thought). Minimum temperature: 22 degrees (over a cold night). :x

<censored>

I remain unhappy and cannot believe I was sold an "incubator" that lacks the ability to regulate its own temperature so that it stays constant (the whole purpose of an incubator!)

Make sure you plug a proper thermostat (microclimate or something similar) into your powerpoint and then just turn incubator up enough that the thermostat regulates the temperature by controlling the electricity supply to the incubator.

I would have been better leaving my eggs in the flipping enclosure ... :x

 

[solar 17]

incubators and methods

hi there...lt really gets me EVERY year 20 times a year we get people using these cheaper end incubators that are designed for reptiles, there must 50-60 threads on this and other sites with HEAPS of people suggesting incubation is MOSTLY about the thermostat with a good reliable one starting at about $120 even if you stick one of these in a brocoli box with a heat cord you are a country mile better off [imo] l do this in a spare snake cage every year no probs' these cheaper end incubators when you think of whats at stake [say one clutch of spotteds wholesaled $1000-1200 and we get people taking short cuts lt just mystifies me .....cheers solar 17 [baden]

 

[KaneMortlock]

Unfortunately as a first year herper I missed the 50-60 threads clearly identifying the fact my HOvabator would not regulate its own temperature or I wouldn't have gone near one without adding a thermostat.

Some things considered obvious by the experienced aren't exactly on the sticky section of the site. Perhaps they should be. Do we have a "So you just got your first snake? You should have already read this" sticky?