Just laid eggs...

[frost1375]

So my "male" just laid two eggs about an hour or so ago. I just went out to buy some things to make the incubator. Does anyone know how long it takes for the aquarium heater to heat up the water in the tank? The temperature says the incubator is only about 75 degrees. And does anyone have any suggestions for me? I've never done this before. The eggs were so much bigger than I expected!! Let me know whatever you can. Thank you!

 

[frost1375]

Incubator

I made the incubator out of a ten gallon tank. I bought two different aquarium heaters and because I did not have much of a warning about the eggs, I could not heat it before the eggs were laid. So now I'm having a lot of trouble adjusting the temp. I have the two heaters under the water, two bricks to hold up the containers. I have the eggs in separate containers, which are filled with vermiculite (slightly moistened. I put a few small holes in each container. I made a little impression with my finger in the vermiculite and put each egg in each impression. I have a humidity and a heat thermometer. I am using plastic wrap over the cover of the tank. My humidity thermometer is really high, tropical region. I am not able to get my heat temp even up to 80. Its around 78/79. I even have a heat lamp facing the tank slightly. I'm assuming it takes some time for the aquarium heaters to fully work, but I am just afraid that the eggs will be too cold. I went to check on the eggs just now after a few hours and the eggs are starting to dent. I don't even know if they are fertile, but I am assuming so. And I've read that this could be caused by not enough moisture. For now I am going to moisten the sides of the container and hopefully that will help a bit. I will keep my eye on the temps. If someone, whenever you get a chance, give me any ideas or try to help me in some way! I really have no idea what I'm doing but I don't want the eggs to die. Thanks!

 

[GoGo]

78/79 could support the eggs but the hatchlings would likely be female. Just try to raise the temp, 78-82 is fine for female eggs if thats what you want, higher than that around 85 is mixed and higher than that is male. Usually.

 

[frost1375]

Thank you. I have the temp up to 80 now. One of the eggs seem a little off-whiteish and a little dented. The other one seems fine, but I found some white fuzzy stuff on it yesterday that I figured was mold. I picked off the mold and it hasn't come back. If it does, I read that I should put some foot powder on it. Maybe I'll change the vermiculite so it isn't so wet. I do see the pink bullseye in both of them, so I believe they are fertile. Any more advice from anyone would be great. I ordered a hovorbator so hopefully it will be here end of this week/beginning of next week.