Accidental Hatchlings :)

[TheVirus]

I accidentally hatched out two leos this year. I keep my leos on a deep dirt substrate, so they don't need a humid hide or nest area. They lay with in the dirt and I dig up the eggs and dispose of them.

This year I missed a clutch from my nine year old pair. When I was feeding them, I saw a baby in there with them. A couple weeks later another baby hatched. I believe it was from a different clutch.

It was bitter sweet because I didn't want any leo babies, but was cool that all life events can happen with in the enclosure.

The person I gave the leos to named this one MoMo.

She named this one Saddleback Pooper

Thanks for looking!

Tim

 

[mainelygeckos]

Wow that's amazing that it happened that way and you didn't lose them to the parents. Grats to you even tho you didn't keep them nor intend for them to hatch. Amazing how life can continue on it's circle even if we don't expect it to. I am simply amazed that they incubated and hatched that way

 

[Obsidian Tears]

lol...that second name is funny

 

[Shadraak]

VERY COOL , gotta post pics of your setup then , that is the true test to a "natural" viv is if things like that happen.

 

[CHAMpion]

Yeah i want to see a picture of your setup up to thats awesome.

 

[TheVirus]

Thanks everybody!

I like the second name too

I'll take pics of the enclosure and post them. Its not pretty. Its just dirt and some boards on angles.

I should of measured the substrate temp where she laid the eggs.

I was shocked that the parents didn't eat them and allowed them to co-exist together.

Tim

 

[leopardgeckolover]

that proves us that no need of incubator.. hehehe...

 

[theguy67]

what type of substrate do you use? is it a mix? and do you add water to it? i assume that you had to since they did not dry out befor hatching,...

 

[jschaf1]

Wow that is incredible. Great job! I can only imagine what your reaction must have been when you saw that extra gecko in there! Seriously what was the first thought going through your mind when you saw that extra face. I would love to know! Must have been one of the biggest surprises of your life huh?

They both look REALLY healthy too! I always thought proper incubation of gecko eggs took alot of skill and attention to make sure the eggs were viable and the newborns would be healthy without any defects. You really lucked out! Maybe your next move should be to buy a lottary ticket!

 

[TheVirus]

Heres the pics of the enclosure. I told you it isn't pretty

None of my enclosures are pretty. Not for any specie. I'm good at making a habitat filled with micro-habitats, but I'm not good at making it pretty and functional (for me and the lizard). So I just make it functional.

The substrate is a dirt/sand mix. I don't know at what ratio. Its a sandy loam. I have to add more. I spot clean and vacuum out the top layer. Over time the substrate gets lower and lower until I add more. Next year when they turn 10, I'm thinking of putting them in a 40 breeder filled with cracks and crevices they can wedge themselves in

jschaf1,

My reaction when I saw the first baby was........wtf?:main_huh: It took a second to register what I was looking at. The baby came out from under the boards and ate a cricket.

When I saw the second one I was like......oh sh.. not again :main_no:

The incubation wasn't perfect. I believe the babies were from different clutches, so that would mean a 50% hatch rate. If they were from the same clutch, and just incubated at different temps, then it would be very successful.

I keep my bearded dragons on deep dirt as well (over a foot deep). Sometimes I get lazy and I don't dig up the eggs for a few weeks. I dig them up and incubate them and they always hatch. More eggs hatch if I dig them up immediately though. I'm sure if I didn't dig them up at all, some of the eggs would hatch (don't see any reason to try it).

Tim

 

[Krow]

So you just throw the eggs out even though they may be fertile? I'm sorry but that seems kinda mean to me, JUST MY OPINION. If you dont want eggs then you should seperate them, but hey, their your leos not mine, so of corse you can do whatever you want...

 

[TheVirus]

Theres no baby leo in the egg. They are not full term eggs. They don't have a nervous system or brain or heart. Its just a couple of cells.

I don't throw them out. I feed them to my ackies and beardies.

 

[cwazy]

uhmmm once conception happens, its a bit more than just cells... sorry to inform... there was a time you too were "just cells"... JMO

 

[laughing dog]

as long as your not throwing them away. i did that with some supposedly infertile eggs, and had babies crawling all over in the compost, and the house. lol

 

[laughing dog]

you can gibe them away to us if you want to. my fiancee and i would love some.

 

[TheVirus]

Or I could not dig up any of the eggs and send you all the babies You pay for shipping of course.....lol!

 

[cwazy]

that would be pretty cool thing to do... or even if you had a non corprait pet store in your area... give them to them and they could offer at a much disconted price with set up for kids who may not be able to afford one other wise... or something... *shrug* seems better than feeding.... but then again i do eat chicken eggs...

 

[Krow]

JMO, I think its kinda like abortion, its an living organisum regardless of what it may look like, when the male cell & female come together, its a living thing IMO, but hey, whatever...JMO

 

[TheVirus]

Hey Krow,

I respect your opinion.

cwazy,

A local pet store is not a bad idea. I have thought of it, but I don't know of any around me that take really good care of their reptiles (they think they do). I'd rather give them to people on forums, because at least the are willing to make the effort to learn husbandry techniques to better the life of their animal.

I have one baby that I found still. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. It fascinating because the adults don't harm them. I have found four so far and one died shortly after coming out the egg. The parents didn't even eat the dead body. I wonder if leos don't harm their young like crocodilians?

 

[cwazy]

where are you located?