Sigh...losing my clutch

[phoenix-cry]

Not sure why, but I've lost two out of the four good eggs. The veins have just slowly disappeared. Two of the eggs still look good and I just hope I don't lose them too.

The conditions in the incubator all seem right, 88 degrees, around 90% humidity, the vermiculite is slightly damp to the touch.

I haven't given up hope on the last two, but it's been very stressful and disappointing. I've been waiting on this clutch for four years.

There is just over a month to go before hatch.

[snowgyre]

Ugh, that sucks. I hope the other two pull through for you.

[phoenix-cry]

It sucks sooooo hard. I really hope the last two make it. They are all stuck together so I just have to let the others rot. Ugh.

[bcr229]

Sometimes it happens. My first clutch of the year pipped last week - 2 good eggs and five slugs. One of the eggs went bad, one pipped.

If the bad eggs are molding or getting nasty you will need to remove them. You can gently cut them free from the good eggs using dental floss.

[Pasodama]

Loss can happen but it sure does suck if/when it does.
Sorry to hear about yours.
I do wish you the best of luck, with the two remaining eggs, and really hope they make it to term (& pip/hatch).

[Dbz4246]

Man that's a bummer, I had one clutch go bad as well, it was only 3 eggs, but it's still rough. Good luck either way, and I hope they pull through!

[phoenix-cry]

Thank you all! It really is hard to watch once good eggs go bad for no reason that you can see! The conditions are as good as they can get. I guess some things aren't meant to be.

Two still look good...so I'm very hopeful on them!

[phoenix-cry]

So far the eggs are not 'rotting' or moldy. They are just collapsing and the shell is slightly transparent. But they don't seem to be causing trouble just yet. If they get worse or turn moldy I'll try to remove them.

[bcr229]

Try getting your humidity over 95% instead of 90%.

[phoenix-cry]

The top of the container is already having some trouble with condensation. Not sure how to make it more humid without just soaking everything. Thoughts on how to safely raise the humidity?

[phoenix-cry]

I just checked in again....only one egg has viens now.

[bcr229]

I put a piece of Glad Press & Seal between the tub and the lid. If condensation forms on the P&S you can put a small weight, like a dime, onto a corner of it so the condensation flows down to that point before dripping off. Obviously you don't want an egg under the drip.

[phoenix-cry]

I will give that a try! Thanks! Press and Seal sucks for food, but i use it at the hospital to keep people dry during showers all the time.

[Pasodama]

Also make sure that the vermiculite is not too damp.

[phoenix-cry]

The vermiculite is damp to the touch, but if you squeezed it you wouldn't get any water out of it.

I added the press and seal.

I think any more messing with them is not going to help. I've never had a clutch go bad like this. It was her first set of eggs, but she's four years old so she was ready, a great size.

[Pasodama]

Sounds good.
Keeping fingers crossed!

[phoenix-cry]

Thanks! I had a friend who had a clutch of six and all but one ended up rotting...but that one that was left had an albino pied inside!

Although if I get one healthy snake out of this clutch I'm keeping him/her no matter what they end up looking like just for their spirit!

[phoenix-cry]

I'm fairly certain that it's just my imagination but I think the eggs look better since I added the press and seal a few hours ago....even the one that has the waning veins.

Thank you all for your help and support. I will keep you posted! Still a full month before hatch....

[Steves Serpents]

Are the eggs discolored or just dimpling? From my experience when an egg goes bad it turns colors very quickly and starts to smell horrible. If they are just dimpling they may still be fine. I've had a few clutches with eggs that started dimpling early on in incubation, I just add water to the substrate in the corners of the tub away from the eggs and they usually plump back up or at least stop from dimpling further.

[phoenix-cry]

Two of them rotted (I was able to remove them) two are heavily dimpled, one looks like a normal egg. It would be great if the dimpled ones are still good! I've left them in and cranked up the humidity.

[phoenix-cry]

The heavily dimpled ones have discolored now. I'm certain they are dead.

The one last good egg looks really good, it had a slight dimple before that is gone now...which means it must have been the humidity.

I feel terrible about that that! I figured since there was so much condensation that the humidity had to be basically as good as it was going to get.

Thank you so much for the press and seal idea I think it has really given this last egg a much better shot at hatching.

[David Reid]

I had some nice clutches mold for me when I first started out, almost certainly due to wet substrate. I add water in the beginning, but just enough to make the substrate damp, not wet. You can also add a dry layer of substrate over the top of the moist substrate. Water can always be added along the course of the incubation, but is hard to take away if there is too much.

Dave

[phoenix-cry]

It looks like the eggs died from lack of humidity and then molded once they had died. So hard to strike a balance!

[David Reid]

It is really not that hard if you have the right incubation tools. I use a Styrofoam box, glass lid, and vermiculite perlite mixture. I do not see any moisture build up on the inside of the glass top. My incubation process probably starts out a bit on the dry side, but I add water about every two or three weeks. You do not need an air tight lid. Add a bit less water than you think you should at the start.

Dave

[Steves Serpents]

I don't think they would have died from lack of humidity that fast. I would think they would have deflated almost completely first before dying. Especially since you said humidity was around 85% and only a month into incubation. Sometimes eggs just go bad. No species on earth has a 100% hatch\birth rate. I wouldn't drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out.

[phoenix-cry]

Thank you so much! I have been blaming myself for the deaths. The last good egg still looks great. The others did seem to go from good to bad in no time flat. Still have high hopes for one healthy baby.

[David Reid]

My very first Sulfur clutch of 10 eggs all molded and went bad. It happens, my problem was too much water in the substrate. If they deflate fast, might be too little humidity. You can put a small bowl of water in for humidity, without wetting the substrate.

Dave