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Rescued eggs hatched/release time?

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Mackytheforks View Drop Down
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    Posted: 30 Jul 2012 at 6:23pm
Hello everyone, any advice will be gratefully received.
I have never kept snakes before and have got some grass snake eggs and hatchlings from work. A JCB was laying pipes and accidently dug them up. Some were. destroyed and the others I decided to take home and nurture.
They must have been almost ready to hatch because after two days indoors a few heads poked through the eggs. I now have 6 hatched grass snakes and four more heads poking through and a few more healthy looking eggs I expect to hatch too.
I have them in a 2ft by 18" tank with no extra heating as it's quite warm indoors. 
I have 2 inches of earth and stone from the garden with earthworms, some woodlice and some small slugs to keep them company. A small slate, flat stone & log are providing hiding places and milk bottle cap providing water.
I will be releasing them back where the eggs was found asap.
The Question is WHEN?
Some forums say not to feed them as they get by on the egg yolk for a while and to keep them until they shed then release them. Shall I release them as they hatch or wait for them all to hatch and release them together?
I asked on the RFUK forums but got mixed responses and am none the wiser.
Thanks for your advice in advance.
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herpetologic2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote herpetologic2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2012 at 8:05pm
My advice is to keep them watered and once they have all hatched take them back to where they were found and release them into suitable habitat such as a rough grassland edge along a hedgerow or similar so they can make their own way into the world. So the answer is as soon as possible as they will be using up their yolk sac fast in a warm indoor environment and will lose condition etc 

It was good to get them hatched out and rescue them it is fairer to let nature take its course. If you want to try and rear on the early hatches you could but this just means they will have more chance to escape. 
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Mackytheforks View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mackytheforks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2012 at 8:19pm
Thanks that sounds good to me. 
The first one hatched on Friday evening and a couple a day since.
I'm going to release all hatchlings tomorrow in work where they were found, and then wait a few days for the rest to hatch and release them.
It's been fascinating watching and learning about them and even though the children are pestering me to keep one I shall be putting them ALL back.

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herpetologic2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote herpetologic2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2012 at 7:16am
I know the feeling it is hard not to keep them as they are lovely looking animals  if you look on the underside you can see that ty are individual in their ventral markings  you would also notice how bright the yellow and black collar is  This is a defensive marking against bird predators  It would be good to report the eggs into the record pool http://arguk.org/recording  You should feel proud that you got these animals off to be released back into the wild  well done!
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Robert V View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robert V Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2012 at 6:14pm

Hi Macky,

you have been lucky to have them hatch and such a good percentage. But before you release them get something substantially bigger than a milk bottle top (a shallow bowl for example) and fill with water and try and imbed in the soil covering the bottom. They will need a good drink and they may not all have located the small bottle top.

Also, there's nothing wrong with allowing them to swim a while in a very shallow and tepid (just off of cool) bath of water (not so deep that they panic). This will get their bowels moving and they will eat once released.
 
You could have obtained some very small fish (tiny guppies are good) and placed them in the shallow bowl if you wanted to give them a meal before release.
 
I did this the year before last with a bunch of hatchlings, gave them a day to digest and set them free in a good wild spot. Nature will take it from there.
 
Hope it helps.
 
RobV
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Mackytheforks View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mackytheforks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2012 at 7:35pm
Thank you both for your help.
I released 8 this morning in a sheltered area near a large pond near where the eggs were disturbed. I've just got home from work to find three more hatched and two heads poking out. I had already changed the milk bottle top for a large coffee lid (well washed). They had a few dips in there and when they were wet was using there wet bodies to climb and escape from the tank. Luckily I never left them alone without the lid or I'd have lost them all. I will register the eggs for sure and may try giving these a feed before they leave. Thanks again. Macky.
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AGILIS View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AGILIS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 2012 at 9:05am
Hi Rob where do you get your cheapo guppies from?? I thought they had gone out of fashion lol keith
   LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
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