Soft egg?

[Leopard.Geckerz]

My female laid 2 eggs for me yesterday, and I got them out early before she could step on them (she's notorious for laying them WHEREVER and then laying on them, walking on them, etc.) So they were in perfect shape. I put them in the hovabator at 80 (slowly trying to increase just a bit more.) in a container of vermiculite. (Moist, soaked it in water and then squeezed really hard to get the water out.)

So they haven't caved in yet and are starting to darken in colour. But I just touched one..and it was very soft and caved in a bit. I was afraid to touch the other one after that but when I nudged it with the lid of the container it was much more hard.

Did I just kill the egg I poked? Will it harden up or does soft = infertile?

 

[GeckoGathering]

Softee

My female laid 2 eggs for me yesterday, and I got them out early before she could step on them (she's notorious for laying them WHEREVER and then laying on them, walking on them, etc.) So they were in perfect shape. I put them in the hovabator at 80 (slowly trying to increase just a bit more.) in a container of vermiculite. (Moist, soaked it in water and then squeezed really hard to get the water out.)

So they haven't caved in yet and are starting to darken in colour. But I just touched one..and it was very soft and caved in a bit. I was afraid to touch the other one after that but when I nudged it with the lid of the container it was much more hard.

Did I just kill the egg I poked? Will it harden up or does soft = infertile?

I find IMO some are OK but soft
to a point......not like air deflating from a balloon but more as a "not hard shell yet"........Not unless you poked it all the way through.
I find too wet laying/hatching conditions can soften the shell
and even drain the egg at times.
Now this is just my way...
Perlite does not get total saturated at .8 water x perlite.
It areates and allows drainage
(That's the manufactures statement)
so I find soft to the touch,if fertile,
can firm up.................
The only comment on unfertile is you have to determin
if you viewed the breeding, how many times,
and did you offer an attempted breeding that she told him,
"I'M good now. Let me be.".......
That's my way too.
Please, please, it's my opinion on working methods for me.
I know many others get good results from years of other
procedures and products........So be it!
All the best with your eggs!
Take care. HJ

 

[Gregg M]

This is why eggs need to be left alone after they are layed... I do not understand why eggs need to be poked, proded, candled, and messed with once they are layed... Once you make the switch from the lay box to the incubation container, they should never be touched... Eggs can be ruptured and killed if you handle them after they are layed...

I am not trying to be a jerk here... I am just telling you and anyone else reading what the deal is... You will have much better results if you just set them and forget them...

 

[Leopard.Geckerz]

I find IMO some are OK but soft
to a point......not like air deflating from a balloon but more as a "not hard shell yet"........Not unless you poked it all the way through.
I find too wet laying/hatching conditions can soften the shell
and even drain the egg at times.
Now this is just my way...
Perlite does not get total saturated at .8 water x perlite.
It areates and allows drainage
(That's the manufactures statement)
so I find soft to the touch,if fertile,
can firm up.................
The only comment on unfertile is you have to determin
if you viewed the breeding, how many times,
and did you offer an attempted breeding that she told him,
"I'M good now. Let me be.".......
That's my way too.
Please, please, it's my opinion on working methods for me.
I know many others get good results from years of other
procedures and products........So be it!
All the best with your eggs!
Take care. HJ

Thanks! Which incubation substrate do you reccomend? I've got perlite, vermiculite and coco fiber all at my dispense.. I just used vermiculite because it's what I've used in the past.

I didn't poke it all the way through, just.. a small tap. Both eggs have a really small dent now, even the one I didn't touch, so I think they've both deflated a bit.

As for seeing the breeding..no, I didn't... my male and female live together all year around and they've had no problem doing so for the last 5 years, so I leave them be. I assume they did it more than once, but I can't be certain.

 

[Leopard.Geckerz]

This is why eggs need to be left alone after they are layed... I do not understand why eggs need to be poked, proded, candled, and messed with once they are layed... Once you make the switch from the lay box to the incubation container, they should never be touched... Eggs can be ruptured and killed if you handle them after they are layed...

I am not trying to be a jerk here... I am just telling you and anyone else reading what the deal is... You will have much better results if you just set them and forget them...

Thanks, I guess I was over-eager. I left the other one alone, and now it has a small dent as well. I don't plan on candling them because I don't want to mess with them anymore and never had that intent.

 

[LeapinLizards]

You will know soon whether they are fertile or not, I could tell the last clutch laid here was infertile within a week. If in doubt, incubate...what's the worst that could happen?