Found the issue with my incubation...

[RoyalCityReptiles]

So, some of you may remember, I had 2 leos hatch out with eye deformities.
I use high quality supplements (Sticky Tongue Farms w/o D3) , on a very regular basis, so we can rule that out. That leaves one possibility. Temperature fluctuations. I use a hovabater(sp?), and my eggs are in a container with 12 sections inside, and I am thinking this is the issue, as up to 12 eggs need to leave the incubator in order for me to remove hatchlings. I have had 2 out of almost 20 eggs with deformities, while this isn't a massive amount, this is a reason for change.

So my question is, can some people describe, or post pictures of how the incubate their eggs??

-Nate

 

[dprince]

Nate, Sticky Tongue Farms Miner-All is what I *used* to use. I've talked to quite a few breeders who also used to use this, and each of them had quite a few hatchlings with eye deformities. Miner-All does NOT have vitamin A in it, which is thought to be responsible for eye/eyelid formation.

I'd go ahead and switch your supplements. I have switched to Rep-Cal w/o D-3, and Herptivite (which does have beta carotene in it).

Though the eyelid deformities *may* have something to do with temp fluctuations, I don't *personally* think that is the case. I've had some pretty incredible temp fluctuations in my hovabators (which I no longer use) with no ill effect. Good luck. :main_thumbsup:

 

[fallen_angel]

Well we just started incubating, but this is what we did.. We have 9 eggs cooking, but only three are expected this week. I prepared a new container to transfer the six eggs that still need another 2 weeks to hatch, and left the three close-to-hatching eggs together in the other container.. The reason I did this was because I felt that the perlite in my first container was getting too dry (I hadn't touched/re-misted it since I originally moistened it back in January because I'm following Albey's how to incubate instructions)...anyway.. So I was just preparing a "fresh egg-box" at the time, and didn't see the need to move the ones that were going to hatch soon, but this method should work with your problem too!

Another thing you can do in the future is to keep all eggs that were laid around the same time in the same container, and use smaller containers (we were just using one big one at first and I'm assuming you are doing the same?)

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Sticky Tongue Miner-All (O) is mineral supplementation (calcium) only... there are no vitamins in it. You need to provide your geckos with a reptile multivitamin every week or two as well as calcium. Read the label of ingredients on some of the major brands.

I also use RepCal products... Calcium and Herptivite vitamins.

I also use Albey's incubation method, except I use vermiculite instead of perlite at the same water to substrate ratio.

 

[fallen_angel]

I also use Albey's incubation method, except I use vermiculite instead of perlite at the same water to substrate ratio.

So how often do you replace your containers with newly prepared ones while you have constant eggs in the incubator?

I really like the perlite, but I don't know the differences really.. When I first ordered a bag of perlite and vermiculite, I actually got the right sized bag of perlite but too small of a bag of vermiculite. I used all of the vermiculite I had in the hide boxes/egg laying chambers.. then my leos began eating it, so I have been forced to stop using it entirely and haven't ordered more vermiculite since

 

[dprince]

So how often do you replace your containers with newly prepared ones while you have constant eggs in the incubator?

I know your question is directed at Marcia, but I'll answer for myself.

I DON'T change out the containers. I also do it a wee bit differently, as I have one hole in each container. I'm very happy with my system - last year, I think I only had maybe 5 eggs that didn't hatch (out of about 140).

HTH.

 

[fallen_angel]

Wow, that is an impressive hatch rate, 96.4%

I do, however, like not having to re-moisten the containers at all until I need to prepare a new one and transfer the eggs over to it.. I am assuming that with a hole in the container, you have to re-moisten at least a few times right? How exactly do you do it?

 

[dprince]

Wow, that is an impressive hatch rate, 96.4%

I do, however, like not having to re-moisten the containers at all until I need to prepare a new one and transfer the eggs over to it.. I am assuming that with a hole in the container, you have to re-moisten at least a few times right? How exactly do you do it?

That was last year's hatch rate. Hopefully this year's will look similar when all is said and done.

I don't remoisten the vermiculite at all. I just do it by weight the first time, and let 'er ride. If I have condensation on the top of the lid, I will "squeegy" in down the sides of the inside of the cup (so the moisture isn't lost.) Seems to be working just fine. *knocks on wood*

When I first started incubating eggs, I actually exploded an egg with too much wetness.......kept thinking it was too dry, kept wetting the vermiculite.......now I just know that it is what it is.

I do check on my eggs, and if I have any get a tad too dry, I put a bit of wet paper towel directly on the egg. It usually plumps within a couple of days. I had a bunch of that happen when I would wipe the lids clean of condensation; that's why I don't do that anymore. I haven't had a problem since. *knocks on wood again* :main_laugh:

There are lots of "right" ways to do it, these are just some things that helped me out. HTH.

 

[fallen_angel]

Thanks for sharing Maybe I don't need to prepare new containers every 3 months or so... I'm not really sure... but I do sleep better at night with a freshly prepared container, because then I know it's "perfect" based on the water:substrate ratio.. I was told when I first started that beginners tend to make things too wet, so you can pretty much err on things being too dry... but how do you know if an egg is too dry?

 

[dprince]

If an egg is too dry, it will start to dent. If an egg starts to dent right before it's due to hatch, I feel it to make sure it's not too dry.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

So how often do you replace your containers with newly prepared ones while you have constant eggs in the incubator?

Each of my females has her own individually sealed container in the incubator. All her eggs for the entire season go in there, so I do not change out anything. For the female incubator (81 degrees F), the moisture ratio stays pretty well for the whole season. For the male incubator (89 degrees F), if the medium feels too dry or there is not a small amount of condensation around the sides of the container, I will remove the eggs and re-weigh the container, misting just enough water to bring it up to it's original weight.

For example: I use one of those square, entree size Gladware containers for each female.

1.) I tare the scale with the empty container on it
2.) I add 2 oz. vermiculite
3.) I mist the vermiculite with water until it reads 3.6 oz

If the medium feels too dry later in the season, I carefully remove the eggs and re-weigh the container. If it weighs 3.1 oz, I mist water on the vermiculite until it weighs 3.6 oz. again. Then I put the eggs back in, seal it up, and put it back in the incubator.

 

[fallen_angel]

Each of my females has her own individually sealed container in the incubator. All her eggs for the entire season go in there, so I do not change out anything. For the female incubator (81 degrees F), the moisture ratio stays pretty well for the whole season. For the male incubator (89 degrees F), if the medium feels too dry or there is not a small amount of condensation around the sides of the container, I will remove the eggs and re-weigh the container, misting just enough water to bring it up to it's original weight.

For example: I use one of those square, entree size Gladware containers for each female.

1.) I tare the scale with the empty container on it
2.) I add 2 oz. vermiculite
3.) I mist the vermiculite with water until it reads 3.6 oz

If the medium feels too dry later in the season, I carefully remove the eggs and re-weigh the container. If it weighs 3.1 oz, I mist water on the vermiculite until it weighs 3.6 oz. again. Then I put the eggs back in, seal it up, and put it back in the incubator.

Very helpful, thank you Marcia! My problem is that I didn't write down the data for my container, so I can't simply weigh it again and mist accordingly, lol.. Definitely will do that in the future thanks again!