Incubation of Ball Python eggs below recommended temperatures

This video covers the incubation of Ball Python (Python regius) eggs. We show the medium we use and how to prepare it. Then the hatching of the little pythons at a lower temperature than recommended.

[@karufon96]

Great vid ! Nothing beats the original morph

[@catbread804]

I know this is a bit old to be commenting on, but its very interesting and helpful! Makes me feel alot better about how my incubator keeps fluctuating and answered alot of questions I had to dig through SO much crap to find prior. Thank you for sharing

[@reptilegarden]

Posts are never to old for comments as it is always relevant to someone. Glad it helps answer questions. Wish I had time to make more.

[@thenewkidontheblok]

This has to be the best video I've ever watched. I have spent countless hours over the years and this by far has been the most informative video ive ever seen. It answered many questions that I couldn't find answers for. THANK YOU so much.

[@reptilegarden]

So glad you found what you were looking for. I hope you subscribed haha. I really need to get more content out there as I know how hard it can be to find some answers.

[@thenewkidontheblok]

@@reptilegarden subscribed! I have a small idea for you that I can't find a video for anywhere. Now I know you may not do this. But egg flushing after cutting and they sit in the albumin and it gets mucky. Last year I had to do this and I poured incubator temp distilled water into the eggs a few days in a row kinda slightly rolling the python in there eggs to get all the nasty out and the fresh liquid in. After a few days you have a beautiful clean ball python in its egg. Another one that I have never seen is removing the ball python shortly before it emerges and putting it into a cup of salien or distilled water to keep them out of a rotting egg shell and in a fresh transparent cup to finish absorbing the yolk

[@thenewkidontheblok]

@@reptilegarden I understand the cup thingy is a bit of an experiment but man does it look neat. Crystal clear look at what's going on in the egg

[@reptilegarden]

@@thenewkidontheblok so sorry I thought I replied to this but now don't seenit. Anyway. It would be cool but I would only attempt if I had an issue with an egg and wanted ro see if i could help it along.

[@steveknight8046]

Really interesting video! I used to be petrified of snake until I started watching videos like this on KZbin. Now I'm seriously considering having one as a pet. I need to research species and husbandry more though before I commit. Thanks for sharing!

[@reptilegarden]

Hi Steve, I am glad your enjoying and learning. You are taking the right approach to keeping a pet snake. Lots of research and making sure it is something you want for the life of the pet.

[@abmechelloutdoors8274]

Hi I’m incubating my first clutch of eggs from one of my ball pythons and I was worried about if I could put them on top of the hatch hatch rite but now I feel like maybe I need more water lol idk I’m not using anything to separate them just like you

[@reptilegarden]

Hi, as long as the eggs don't sit in water they should be fine. They just need temprature and humidity.

[@Alastro1989]

My incubator is fluctuating between 84f to 88f is that okay

[@reptilegarden]

Yeah that is not a problem. Depending on the type of thermostat you can make it have a smaller differential and it might be more stable. If it is heating quickly and overshooting then you need a more gentle heat source. Eggs in the wild go through big changes with mom leaving to warm up and return aswell as day night temps. Adding water bottles into the incubator can also help to hold temps and stabilize. In South Africa we have load shedding where the power is turned off for 2 hours at a time, sometimes 2 times a day. Healthy eggs are hardy. They might just take a bit longer to hatch of temps are nit constant. You can just cut once the first one pips. If you worried.

[@kanetison5153]

Hi, Love the video. I was wondering what is the reason the eggs don’t dimple before hatching?

[@reptilegarden]

Hi Kane, glad you enjoyed it. That is a good question. It might be that the babies are not straning on the egg reserves as much and the humidity is kept perfect. I have had many other eggs hatching that look perfect. Eggs often also get bigger in some cases or plump up during incubation. So it must be a hydration issue more than anything. Some eggs might loose more than they gain near the end. The white of dimpled eggs is much thicker etc.

[@nathanpatty1194]

wow 79 days interesting to know that its safe to incubate at lower temps

[@reptilegarden]

Yeah it is interesting but I would go with the recommended temps for most species as they are that for a reason. This video just shows that healthy eggs are fairly hardy. We had a few power cuts due to load shedding aswell. As mentioned this was the second time o have done it and all babies are fine. This doesn't mean lower temps for other species will be ok and I don't recommend doing it. I thinking would be fine to have normal temps and a night time drop. Just a thought but it could make for a hardier animal but I am no expert in this.

[@wernerkumm2444]

Thx for this.. First time breeder - Only breeding late this year or next year & this was insightful.

[@AceAvenue1119]

Thank you for this video. You make a lot of good points worth considering, especially related to egg cutting and that nothing about this is really natural....very good point. Did you sex these babies? I've heard theories about temps possibly having an effect on snake sex so eventhough it's a small sample, wondered if you noticed any unusual male/female ratios with your 2 clutches incubated at 28.5?

[@reptilegarden]

Glad you enjoyed and I recently double checked the clutch and it is 2 males to majority female. Can't say it is really anything. My Rainbow Boa once dropped all female and them lately a 50/50 mix. No changes in care or temperature.

[@juanramirez2541]

Can this also work for garter snakes

[@reptilegarden]

Yes I would think so as they should be very hardy but I would stick to the usual recommend incubation temperatures. Remember in the wild temperatures can fluctuate a lot and eggs still make it. (EDIT) I have never kept garter snakes and just assumed as it is a common snake so they should be hardy. We don't get gatersnakes available here SA. They are in fact ovoviviparous giving birth to live young.

[@taehndrx]

Garter snakes gives live births

[@mass_exotic_reptiles2532]

@@taehndrx no lol

[@taehndrx]

@@mass_exotic_reptiles2532 they do bro

[@maydalisay4657]

Awsome

[@masboy3790]

Hii i from Indonesian

[@reptilegarden]

Hi Fandi, great to be reaching people all over the world.

[@AngelCullen]

Al-BEEN-ohs 😂

[@reptilegarden]

Yes, we use the correct english here in South Africa. I take it you're American? LOL

[@jamiepaulse8901]

😂😂😂Eskom 🙄🤦‍♂️🙈