Ball Python Egg Box Size?

[Bristen]

Hey,

Hopefully this year will be my first year to hatch ball pythons. I'm currently working on getting my incubator setup. I've had a small "dry" incubator setup for corn snake eggs before and had 100% hatching. I'm now trying to setup a large incubator for Ball Python eggs. What I don't know, is exactly how large will those clutches be? I know what numbers I can expect, but I do not know what would be a good size egg box. What kind of egg boxes do you normally use? Volume and dimensions would be greatly appreciated if possible. This will help me figure out how many shelves I can put in the incubator, what spacing will be required, etc. I'll also start shopping for boxes for the incubator.

Thanks!
Bristen.

[Markus Jayne]

Hi Bristen!

I started out using styrofoam containers but switched last year to shoe box size Rubbermaids. They are 13.5 X 8 X 4.5 inches in size. I fill it half way with my vermiculate mixed witrh water so that when squeezed no water comes out. I place the eggs in the mixure a little, so as not to bury them and put on the lid. I have one small hole in the container for air, although some people I talk to don't, because the lids are not air-tight.

I find that this container is good for clutches up to 9 eggs if they are laid fairly flat. If you have a mound of eggs that are high in form, I move up to the Rubbermaid one size up.

Hope this helps!

Mark

[Jeff_Favelle]

Yep, what MM said. 11.4L Rubbermaid works fine. Model #2220. If you're on your game, you can also use model #2221. It can fit up to 4 clutches, but requires a larger incubator.

[Bristen]

That will be perfect Mark!

Thanks!
Bristen.

[Bristen]

I'll print this thread out, so I'll have not only the dimensions but the model numbers for when I go shopping :-)

Thanks Jeff!
Bristen.

[BoidKeeper]

That's the same size I used last year Bristen
Cheers,
Trevor

[mykee]

Bristen, just write down #2220's that's what I've used in the past. I fill 'em up half way as Mark said, and you can get two good-sized clutched in there if you need. I opt for the no-airhole method as I use an incubator similar to Roys, so my actual incubator has just ambient humidity in it, and the rubbermaids are 100% airtight and 100% humidity. Good luck.

[Bristen]

I was thinking of having mostly #2220's, but perhaps having a couple of the larger ones if ever I get some nice large (or high) clutches for safe measure. Just wanted to make sure that I'm setup for whatever size clutch I end up getting. I've read someone having to cut two show boxes together and stick them together because of a large clutch. I'd rather have a larger container if possible instead of going through all of that heh :-)

Thanks Michael!
Bristen.

[mykee]

Unless you get a clutch of 20+, I can't see the #2220's not being able to easily handle anything your balls can throw at it. Good luck.

[Bristen]

Originally posted by mykee
Unless you get a clutch of 20+, I can't see the #2220's not being able to easily handle anything your balls can throw at it. Good luck.

LOL!! 20+?? Ok, then no need to worry... no monsters here that will produce that size clutch anytime soon :-)

Thanks!
Bristen.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Yeah, what Mykee said. I hatched 3 Jungle Carpet clutches in ONE #2220 and I hatched 2 Ball Python clutches in one as well. I prefer singly, but when you gots a ton of eggs, you don't always have a choice. But yeah, it would be a SERIOUSLY large clutch if it didn't fit into a #2220.

But check this out. I should have pics somewhere, but I had a clutch of Carpet eggs where the female beehived sooo much, that it was 2 inches too tall for a #2220!! It was insane! I had to use some weird Tupperware thing that coasr $12. Never seen a clutch like that before!

[Bristen]

lol! new verb "beehived" :-) I planned out my incubator shelfs and I should be able to space them out at 12" each.. in that 12" I should be able to double stack RubberMaid #2220 and have a total of 8 per shelf. This means that I should be able to put 32 RubberMaid #2220, or if required, I have space to put taller tubs for "beehived" clutches. For now, I will be just buying 10 egg boxes. My wife is going to pick some up today, she found a sale on that exact model.

Thanks for the info everyone!
Bristen.

[Bristen]

ok, my wife purchased 10 egg boxes today.. they are RubberMaid model #2220 as specified by Jeff. However, they are larger than I expected.

Markus said 13.5 X 8 X 4.5, but the ones I got are really 16 x 11 1/8 x 6 1/8. This is no big deal other than it will reduce the number of clutches I can handle with my incubator by half.

I was hoping initially to put 8 clutches per shelf, but it looks like I'll only be able to do 4 clutches per shelf. This perhaps is a good thing as it will make more "air" between egg boxes and hopefully help with air circulation.

I should be able to have 4 shelfs with a spacing of 12.5" between each shelf. So that means I should be able to put a grand total of 16 clutches of eggs in that incubator. Also, if I need to, I can replace two egg boxes on a shelf with a taller/bigger box if required at some point.

I'm also hoping to allow a about 8" of empty space on the floor of the incubator. I'll probably put some scealed water bottles down there or something for a heat sink and a means of breaking up the heat somewhat for the bottom clutch containers.

Anyways, that's it for now... I'll post pictures when it's all done.. Oh, by the way, flexwatt is ordered for heat source. After much reading and discussion with Bob Pound of ProProducts I've decided that the heat panel was not the best heat source for my incubator.

Thanks everyone,
Bristen.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Those are the right bins and they will hold anywhere from 10-14 eggs, so you can easily double up most Ball Python clutches.

[Bristen]

I'm hoping to be able to avoid setting up double clutches in the boxes even though they could be the same result offspring (such as normals and pastels) as that way you can't be sure who the mother was. We'll have more than plenty of room for our projects this year heh.. if I get to incubate a couple of clutches this year, I'll be more than happy :-) Hopefully Trevor will be gettings ball eggs coming out of his ears ;)

Thanks,
Bristen.

[Jeff_Favelle]

I'm hoping to be able to avoid setting up double clutches in the boxes even though they could be the same result offspring (such as normals and pastels) as that way you can't be sure who the mother was.


No matter how many Ball Pythons you have, there's no way that you'll have so many that you simply can't put together eggs that were laid a few weeks, or even days apart, LOL! We can now predict to within 2 days of when a clutch of eggs will hatch, so I'm not sure why this would be a problem??

[morph]

No kidding you would need like 20 incubators eh Jeff to hatch all those jungles without 2-3 clutches per box :D


scott

[Bristen]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
No matter how many Ball Pythons you have, there's no way that you'll have so many that you simply can't put together eggs that were laid a few weeks, or even days apart, LOL! We can now predict to within 2 days of when a clutch of eggs will hatch, so I'm not sure why this would be a problem??

Jeff, you're such a smart cookie you never cease to amaze me... or is it that I'm starting to realize how "not smart" I am? hmm.. I just never thought of that Jeff!.. I guess my lack of experience really shines at times huh? Anyways, that's a good tip, and I'll certainly remember that.

Thanks for all the good stuff Jeff, keep it coming heh :-)

Later,
Bristen.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Yikes, that's a scary thought Scotty. ;)

[Jeff_Favelle]

Ha ha Bristen, its not smarts, that's for dang sure. Trial and error more like it. I'm a big dummy like the rest, I just have already had time to make my mistakes, ha ha! ;)