Angle Headed Dragons Breeding

[cg]

Hi guys

I have a friend who has two angle headed dragons. He is pretty sure they are male and female and now he has found two eggs in the soil of his enclosure. What should he do wth the eggs ?
just leave them and see what happens or get them to someone who knows what to do is there anything else he can do ??
cheers
chris

 

[childreni_440]

He should probably incubate them. He should have a closer look in his enclosure as there may be more. What colour are the eggs?

 

[cg]

Im not sure as i only found out today
this is the first time they have had any and he doesnt have any incubating equipment

 

[childreni_440]

ok do you or he have care of australian reptiles in captivity by john weigel?

 

[cg]

yes i do have that book

 

[childreni_440]

i suggest that you read the breeding section about eggs and incubation that will give you all the anwers you need.

 

[ozherpconservation]

Don't incubate them as you would incubate other reptile eggs. Put them in a plastic tub with moist vermiculite and then into a foam box and place the box in a cool part of your house. The laundry is usually a good spot!

Daniel

 

[childreni_440]

ok i didnt know that. You learn something every day. Why do you do that ozherp?

 

[Magpie]

I incubate mine at 27C as my house can be very cold at times.

 

[ozherpconservation]

ok i didnt know that. You learn something every day. Why do you do that ozherp?

As you may know, forest dragons prefer a much lower temperature to other dragons. You will get a better hatch rate if the eggs are incubated at around 22C. This time of year, you won't need any extra heating, the coolest room in the house should be fine, depending on what state you live in?

Daniel

 

[cg]

so he doesnt have to do anything else except put them in a plastic tub with vermiculitecovering them and then put them in the cool part of the house ???
approx how long should they take to hatch ???
anything else i can tell him ??

thanx for the help

 

[ozherpconservation]

No, don't cover the eggs in vermiculite, just sit them in it. Depending on temperature they should take about 8 weeks to hatch.

Daniel

 

[cg]

is there any reason why you couldnt leave them in the enclosure ? or is it not good to leave them wiht mum ?

 

[Pyror]

is there any reason why you couldnt leave them in the enclosure ? or is it not good to leave them wiht mum ?

They are much easier to manage, and their environment can be more easily controlled by removing them and incubating them seperately. Some of the major reasons for removing them might include the following:

-If the eggs were left in the enclosure, there is a chance that they may be disturbed or rolled, thus killing the embryo (A point which has not been made clearly above, that the eggs should not be rolled or turned from about 24hrs after their deposition).

-They also might be uncovered, and eaten by either of the parents.

-The other possibility is, if they do hatch successfully, the young may be eaten by the parents before their emergence has been noticed.