How to Incubate Ball Python Eggs

Your pair of ball pythons mated and the female is ready to give birth. You've decided to incubate the eggs yourself. Regulating the temperature and humidity levels inside the incubator is crucial. Ball python eggs must be kept at 90 degrees Fahrenheit at high humidity levels, according to Bob Clark, a writer for Reptile Magazine. Follow these guidelines to ensure a successful egg hatching.

Things You'll Need

  • Incubator
  • Small plastic containers
  • Vermiculite
  • Heat source
  • Thermostat
  • Small fan
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select an incubator that is wider than it is tall with side access. It should be large enough to hold the size and number of eggs the female laid.

    • 2

      Place small plastic containers inside the incubator. Fill each container with three inches of damp vermiculite. The vermiculite should clump together when you squeeze it.

    • 3

      Remove the eggs from the mother. Peel the eggs apart and separate them into small groups. Don't separate each individual egg. It's alright if some stick together.

    • 4

      Nestle each group of eggs inside the small plastic containers in the incubator. Place the eggs about 1/3rd of their diameter deep in the substrate orient the eggs in the same direction the female deposited them. Don't put too many eggs in each container.

    • 5

      Place heat tape, a heating pad or light bulbs inside the incubator. The temperature shouldn't vary by more than one or two degrees.

    • 6

      Regulate the temperature inside the incubator with a thermostat. A proportional thermostat monitors the temperature of the heat source to maintain the set temperature.

    • 7

      Run a small fan inside the incubator. Some parts of the incubator are warmer than others. The fan circulates the warm air throughout the incubator, maintaining the temperature balance.

    • 8

      Monitor the humidity levels within the incubator. If the eggs partially collapse, add water to prevent further egg collapse.