Candling Morphs

[Northstar Herp]

Alright, I don't have the pictures yet, but when I get them, I will post them.

But my question is, have you guys ever candled a morph? The last two eggs I've hatched were identifiable when candled. I could see the eclipse eyes on one, and the enigma spotting on the other.

Has anybody else ever noticed this, and do you do it often? I just can't bear the wait, and I'm happy to know that I get to lift the lid per se

I realize it won't work with albinos, and that my pairing will result in all eclipses, but I'm gonna document the next clutch and try to guess the morph ahead of time.

 

[Kristi23]

I usually don't candle that late, but I have done it before. I've been able to tell mack snows and trempers that way.

 

[acpart]

I haven't even been able to see the baby if I candle at that stage. Maybe my eggs are thick shelled.

Aliza

 

[Northstar Herp]

Well, in your defense, The only thing that I really could make out for sure was the eclipse that has no pattern at all. I could see it's entire head and make out the eyes. It was OBVIOUS. For the enigma, however, I saw several black spots and thought it might be a dead baby or a bum egg. After it hatched, though, it was obvious what I'd been looking at.

I took some pics of the first one, and will post them when I get them. My wife took them in RAW format, and I can't use them until she converts them to jpg.

 

[Northstar Herp]

Alright, so these pictures aren't as revelatory as I had hoped. It really was much clearer in person, but I hope you can see the eclipse eye, and that's the entire head there attached to the eye

 

[acpart]

Nope, I just see a dark blob. I'd rather be surprised anyway, but to each his/her own.

Aliza

 

[snakegirl]

Thats one strong light you have, i cant make it out...really. but i see "something" Good luck cant wait to find out!

 

[Northstar Herp]

The problem with this not working is that two of them have already hatched, and I'm actually looking back at this egg knowing what the hatchling looks like.

You have NO IDEA how much effort this took for me to do, but I have outlined the head and marked the eye. I realize how blurry it is, but in person I could see both eyes. I just couldn't get the light to show them both at the same time.

Same Picture, better quality and unmarked.

Here's what the hatchling looked like:

I also candled this one, but didn't take any pictures of the candling. I could see several dark spots (seen on the hatchling) and thought that maybe the egg had gone bad. I think the spots threw me off so I couldn't make out any sections of the body.

I'm going to try again with the next clutch and get better pictures.

 

[RadReptiles831]

Kevin thats crazy that you were able to see the eyes of the baby in the egg. i'm going to candle my eggs right now. i have some eggs that should be hatching in about a week or two. i hope i can see as good as you did on your eggs.

 

[Northstar Herp]

Alright, boys and girls... I have another set from the same pairing that are due this week. I have candled them, and am predicting that they are albinos, hopefully NOVAS. So we will see if I'm right...

And I'm still waiting to for an experienced breeder to come on here and tell me why it's dangerous for me to candle so late in the incubation. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some possible adverse affect from doing this, but I haven't heard it yet.

 

[cassadaga]

I don't think there is any reason candling eggs at any stage should have major negative effects, but I would imagine it might scare a hatchling who is about to hatch into waiting a little longer.

 

[Northstar Herp]

I can't think of anything either, but I have never heard anybody mention candling to see specifics about the hatchling before they hatch. So it either doesn't work and I'm nuts, or there is some other reason.

I've just got a RAPTOR/BEE het. tremper pair that I can't stand waiting for, that's why I tried it.

 

[Northstar Herp]

Alright, eggs have hatched, and they are albino, maybe NOVAS. I think this candling thing is good for something... at least for the chronically impatient like myself.

See?