Kinks in snakes

Kathryn666 · #1 (**permalink**) 25-09-2008, 09:32 AM

What causes kinks in hatchlings?

Temps, too high, too low?
Humidity?
Parents?

What are your thoughts on this?

Ssthisto · #2 (**permalink**) 25-09-2008, 10:23 AM

All of the above, actually.

Incubation conditions are probably one of the biggest causes; insufficient nutrition of the mother prior to egglaying can cause it... and poor handling to sex them certainly can cause kinks in very young hatchlings!

Kathryn666 · #3 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 08:54 AM

Thanks ssthisto. It is hard to isolate the reason then really!

Schip · #4 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 09:17 AM

I have one from a normal snake clutch and she's kinked from head to tail every other vert seems raised, got another from a bd egg that was in the same position in incubator so have thrown that incubator out. I know nutrition is good with my animals but then can't gurantee they are actually capable of absorbing said nutrition. Had a puppy that had to be pts because he was incapable of absorbing zinc causing him to suffer from a pretty horrific skin condition, the whole litter were on contract to be neutered as a precaution.

I keep thinking about forced air incubation as I used to do with the parrots gives a far more even stable temp in there but don't seem to be able to find a non turning version - so got a new still air incubator with hognose eggs in as I type fingers crossed it doesn't happen again.

Kathryn666 · #5 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 12:33 PM

Schip, be interested to hear how ur hoggie eggs go!! I think my incubator is the problem so will be replacing it before next season....

Prem Morph · #6 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 06:27 AM

I find temperature spikes to be the most common cause of kinks in snakes. These spikes can be caused just by opening an incubator to view eggs or remove boxes or sunlight falling on it during the day. A good way to stop this or limit its affects is the use of thermal reservoirs in the incubator these can be plastic drinks bottles refilled with water and placed in the incubator or even bricks these even out the temperature differences so if you had a graph line of your incubation temperatures you would see a smooth flowing line rather than a spiky one. I have used them for many years to great effect sometimes with only 0.1 deg +/- from the set temp.

Kathryn666 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prem Morph

I find temperature spikes to be the most common cause of kinks in snakes. These spikes can be caused just by opening an incubator to view eggs or remove boxes or sunlight falling on it during the day. A good way to stop this or limit its affects is the use of thermal reservoirs in the incubator these can be plastic drinks bottles refilled with water and placed in the incubator or even bricks these even out the temperature differences so if you had a graph line of your incubation temperatures you would see a smooth flowing line rather than a spiky one. I have used them for many years to great effect sometimes with only 0.1 deg +/- from the set temp.

Great information, thank you

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