Dried up eggs

[Redleg]

So I was expecting my first time Blizzard female to lay any day for the past few days........ I was just going to let nature take its course as I have seen the female use the moist hide multiple times. Well, i finally have decided to take a check and lifted up the regular hot hide and to my disappointment I found two dried up eggs

I am guessing that it must have been there more then 24 hrs, it would have been beautiful eggs. Funny thing was that I had been checking the moist hide several times a day the past few days..... but not her regular hide.

I was so excited for her first clutch. I will be ready for the next clutch.

Any ideas how I can encourage her to lay in the moist hide? Moist hide is moss. Should I switch to bed a beast type, vermiculite, etc?

 

[Shadraak]

sry to hear, i had one that laid her first on their poop paper right infront of me (posted pics) and then the next day or the day after, another was laid in same spot, but the 2nd girl laid in the box, half of it was spilled out of the hide so i was happy , and low and behold 2 eggs , problem is other girl was due to lay anyday now again, and she keeps digging and i get "false happy" i'm like YAY but nothin there yet , i've been paranoid for a while over them..

so i make sure to check all hides, and poop paper etc... 2-3 x a day.

PS, dont worry if they were fertile to begin with just think, you're gonna have some more in a few weeks so now you know to check everything a few times a day . i normally do anyway , they're on clay tile, but i do it to look for poo, loos mealies etc.

 

[lillith]

Well, I think the gecko will lay where she wants to lay...mine always do, and it drives me crazy sometimes...I have this nice, vermiculite and moss box lay box set up; sometimes they lay in the paper towel moist hide, sometimes in their "lavatory", sometimes in the lay box. I think it's an experience thing, really - my second year breeder knows exactly what to do, she's been a mama-gecko already...

...just check everywhere, it's the only way I know.

Good luck!

 

[Shadraak]

mine both are 1st timers hatched oct last year one did, but what i was happy about was the other one was digging in that box 2 days later (no where near ready to lay again) so i think since that one did it got the other one to know that's where to go, maybe that'll help if you hadn't gotten rid of them, is to put them in the box for a day or so and let them know that's where to go worked for me i hope

 

[imbrad2003]

Yeah, I have 2 blizzards that lay outside of their lay boxes all the time, I have lost about 8 eggs because of chronic dehydration, it drives me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!:main_thumbsdown:

 

[Redleg]

I almost want to confine the female as she is about to lay into another tank that is moist all around. Then again I do not want to stress her out any further and have her hold on longer and run the risk of being egg bound.

What does one do?

 

[leonewbie]

Don't forget, they aren't going to feel comfortable laying if you keep bugging them all the time...i fill my lay boxes with vermiculite about 3/4 of the way full and mist it every day and let her be...she'll lay when she's ready

 

[Redleg]

Its tough in that I just don't want this second female, also a first time layer, to end up laying inside their regular hide which is at 90 degrees..... can't keep an egg there too long as it will dry up and I'll loose the clutch again.

This second female is at day 10 since copulation....... we shall see.

 

[Shadraak]

Its tough in that I just don't want this second female, also a first time layer, to end up laying inside their regular hide which is at 90 degrees..... can't keep an egg there too long as it will dry up and I'll loose the clutch again.

This second female is at day 10 since copulation....... we shall see.

put in some wet paper towell under the hot hide as well, makes another moist hide or you can put something under it so the hide itself isn't so hot anymore, or just boos the checkups?.

 

[acpart]

I have an african fat tail who always lays in her hide. Fortunately she's on coco fiber, so when it looks as if she's going to lay, I just get the soil near her hide really wet. I usually get warning with my leos that they're about to lay because they lose their appetite. If you get similar warning, maybe you can set up something in her regular hide (or even move it or put something under it so it's not as hot) and "catch" the eggs when they come.

Aliza

 

[Redleg]

So my second Blizzard is about to lay her first clutch, should i confine her to the moist/lay hide? Or just leave her be and keep checking the entire cage on a daily basis to see if she has laid?

 

[ajveachster]

I say leave her be, and check often. We use coconut fiber, and a lot of times we can see them digging like mad women right about when they are going to lay.

 

[Redleg]

I currently have them on moist moss, should I change them out for coconut fiber? Has any one had more success one or the other? Maybe the moss is not giving them the ability to get their natural instinct to dig before laying as the coco fiber will. Any thoughts?

 

[Sidviciouser]

I'm not sure what the eggs looked like, but I would still put them in the incubator. I found two severely dried up eggs a couple weeks ago and one of them is doing just fine. Took it two weeks in the incubator to regain it's moisture.

Besides overhanging foliage for them to hide under (and I can easily see under) the only hide I give mine IS the laybox. Just a thought.

 

[Sidviciouser]

I currently have them on moist moss, should I change them out for coconut fiber? Has any one had more success one or the other? Maybe the moss is not giving them the ability to get their natural instinct to dig before laying as the coco fiber will. Any thoughts?

I use moss in my laybox and they have laid over two dozen eggs in it.

 

[Redleg]

Good idea on the fake foliage. Might have to pick up a small section at Michael's or JoAnn's and and use that for the leos to "hide" under and only offer the moist hide so it kinda forces her to lay inside the moist hide on the moss.

 

[Rejoice in the Lord]

I have given my gecko two lay boxes. One has peat moss, and the other has spaghnum moss. She uses which ever one is on the warm side of the tank.

A week ago, she laid eggs that I did not find until the second day. She laid them in the spaghnum moss, which was nearly dry when I checked it and found them. They were papery textured and dented all over on the outside instead of firm and springy. I really didn't think that they had a chance, but put them into the incubator anyway. I added a bit extra moisture to my vermiculite, and packed the moist vermiculite around them. For several days, they seemed to stay papery, and just all wrong. However there was a bit of pink when I candled them. Yesterday, when I looked at them, they had become firm and springy, just like the other eggs Boo has laid.

If it isn't too late, put them in the incubator. They might still hatch!

 

[Sammag]

Well here is a stroy that might give hope. I once found dried up eggs a week old! I thought what could I lose and i put them in the incubator. I added more water to the substrate than usual and poof they started swelling up again like nobody's buisness. For some reason though I had a serious problem with mold on tem and the shell was always soft but they both hatched. I know hey were there a week cus I was on vacation.

Hope this helps

 

[Redleg]

I will keep an eye on the next clutch. She should lay again soon........ Will keep you all posted.

 

[Redleg]

Update: well, I did find the second clutch within a few hours and dropped them in the incubator immediately. After a couple of weeks, mold started to set in. Definitely duds :main_no: This is her first time breeding/laying.

How many more blanks can I expect from this female? Just her first couple of clutch?