Egg survival rates?

[GeckoStud]

I know there are already a few threads on eggs but none of them have really answered what I am looking for. We have had total failure with all of our fat tail eggs so far. And I mean failure within 1-2 weeks or even a few days not over a period of weeks. I want to know what are your success rates at hatching fat tail eggs. Like do 2 out of 5 survive or what? We have tried different nest box materials (coconut fiber, sphagnum moss), different incubation mediums (perlite, vermiculite, mix of those two), different incubation methods (S.I.M., traditional), and nothing has worked so far. I have our current batch of eggs at 83 degrees at 70 % humidity. The eggs are beginning to dent after only a few days, I tried a damp paper towel on them to perk them up and they got covered in condensation so... mostly likely another lost pair of eggs. I mean I realize Fat Tail eggs are more delicate but I don't know what else to do. For those of you who breed Fatties what methods have you used with success?

 

[acpart]

I think 70% is way too low. Here are my stats from 2 seasons (I think I've posted a lot of this somewhere else on another thread, but I can't find it now):

2009: I got 8 eggs (5 clutches: 3 two-egg clutches and 2 one-egg clutches) from one female who tended to lay them in her hide instead of her lay box. The first 2 clutches, which were probably found too late and had started to dry up, did not succeed. The last 3 clutches hatched for a total of 4 babies. Incubated at about 82.5, it took 67-72 days.

2010: I have 2 breeding females. The first has laid 6 clutches. The first clutch, though they candled fertile, did not succeed, probably because I was still figuring out my new incubator and my SIM. The second clutch hatched 2 healthy babies. One egg from clutches 3-5 molded and neither egg from clutch 6 looks good. Clutch 3 hatched yesterday, a healthy baby. With the SIM, at about 83.5 they are hatching in 60-63 days. I'm expecting the single remaining eggs from clutches 4 &5 to hatch. The second female laid her first clutch a week ago and is gravid again (both these females are first-timers). So far her first clutch looks good.

I did check humidity last season using a regular egg container and the hobovator and it was 80-90% (I was incubating my fat tail eggs in the same container as my leo and coleonyx eggs with no trouble). Currently, the humidity in the SIM's is 90-95%.

I would recommend the following based on my experience:
either ALbey's perlite method with closed container
or SIM (if you have the hobovator, use the special fix to make it work in the SIM) with enough water in the substrate (I needed 2-3 cups with perlite) to create condensation on the sides.

Aliza

 

[GeckoStud]

Thank you kindly for the quick response. The highest the humidity has ever been in our S.I.M. was 80 and is thus probably the reason for our death rate. Now hopefully with 90-95% humidity our success will be better!

 

[HepCatMoe]

i suspect your hatching medium is too dry if the eggs keep denting like that.