Re: Cutting Eggs

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Posted by Walt Deptula on June 30, 2001 at 23:58:28:

In Reply to: Cutting Eggs posted by Terry Parks on June 30, 2001 at 15:06:26:

: This really has to do with my bullsnake eggs. How long should I wait to cut eggs after they start pipping. My eggs started pipping yesterday, but there are two left that look fertile, but have not pipped. Should I wait or cut them soon? Thank you.

Hi Terry,

Both Paul and Ronda are correct when they state that it is normal for an entire clutch to take from 1-4 days to pip, but waiting for this to occur is far more dangerous than slitting the eggs on your own, at least if you utilize proper technique. If a neonate is ready to slit on day 1 but if for whatever reason (no egg tooth, hard shell, disorientated, etc.) you wait four days to allow all eggs a chance to emerge on their own, THAT ANIMAL WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE DEAD and will definitely suffer irreparable birth defects. I believe that an animal which is ready to emerge but incapable of doing so on their own, may actually have a matter of hours not days, to survive without intervention.
This is where Ronda's strategy falls short, in my estimation.

I have had prasina slit on their own and still drown because the initial slit was not large enouh for the particular snake to emerge from. These two snakes actually attempted slitting the bottom of their respective eggs next, but failed in that attempt as well.

If proper technique is employed, it is almost impossible to lose a neonate by slitting eggs yourself, and it poses no threat to the neonates even if they would not have slit by themselves for several more days.

Walt Deptula

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: : : This really has to do with my bullsnake eggs. How long should I wait to cut eggs after they start pipping. My eggs started pipping yesterday, but there are two left that look fertile, but have not pipped. Should I wait or cut them soon? Thank you. : Hi Terry, : Both Paul and Ronda are correct when they state that it is normal for an entire clutch to take from 1-4 days to pip, but waiting for this to occur is far more dangerous than slitting the eggs on your own, at least if you utilize proper technique. If a neonate is ready to slit on day 1 but if for whatever reason (no egg tooth, hard shell, disorientated, etc.) you wait four days to allow all eggs a chance to emerge on their own, THAT ANIMAL WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE DEAD and will definitely suffer irreparable birth defects. I believe that an animal which is ready to emerge but incapable of doing so on their own, may actually have a matter of hours not days, to survive without intervention. : This is where Ronda's strategy falls short, in my estimation. : I have had prasina slit on their own and still drown because the initial slit was not large enouh for the particular snake to emerge from. These two snakes actually attempted slitting the bottom of their respective eggs next, but failed in that attempt as well. : If proper technique is employed, it is almost impossible to lose a neonate by slitting eggs yourself, and it poses no threat to the neonates even if they would not have slit by themselves for several more days. : Walt Deptula

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