This time of year, a lot of herpetoculturists focus on the "cleidoic egg," the name given to the reptile egg. The cleidoic egg allows reptiles (and birds) to reproduce away from standing water because it encapsulates the necessary fluids needed for embryo development in a nice porous shell useful for proper gas exchange (without leaking moisture).

As with many reptile breeders, I have many thoughts on proper egg incubation. I have tried any number of media for egg incubation; I have tried various temperatures using incubators or even incubating eggs at room temperature.

The one conclusion I've reached: If the egg is fertile and the shell is well developed, the egg will hatch no matter how it is incubated. This holds true for most colubrid eggs. I realize that certain reptile species, like some pythons, may need modified egg incubation, but, I'm going to stand with this statement for most other reptiles.

That being said, there is a lot that the herpetoculturist can do to mess up their ward’s eggs. My number one "mess-up" is improper care of the adults prior to receiving the egg. Not enough food, wrong brumation temperatures, and incorrect nest box are just a few of my many errors.

A happy time of year is depicted in the following image:



This Mexican Hognose Snake is laying her eggs in her nest box. And yes, I use paper towels, not moss in the nest box. That requires proper monitoring of moisture ensuring the medium does not dry out (yet another one of my mess ups).