Incubating beardie eggs..?

[Miss B]

Sorry to be a pain and ask fifty million questions, but I really want to make sure I am doing this right!! Ok so as most of you know, Phoenix layed 20 good eggs (and 3 bad ones) last night. I have disposed of the bad eggs - they were wrinkled, yellowish in colour and two were leaking a yellow fluid that looked like yolk. The 20 good eggs are plump, firm and white - about 25-30mm in length.

I removed the eggs from her laybox (verrrrry carefully) within about 3 or 4 hours from when they were layed there. I kept all the eggs facing the same way and put them into small plastic containers with about 4cm of damp vermiculite (I mixed it at a ratio of 1:1 based on weight). The vermiculite is *just* damp and clumps when squeezed, although it's a tad crumbly still. Doesn't drip water when squeezed.

I put lids on the egg tubs and each lid has a piece of sponge attached to the underside so that condensation won't form on the lid and drip down onto the eggs. The egg tubs have two tiny little pin holes for gas exchange - one on each side at the very top.

About an hour or two after I popped them in the incubator, I got paranoid - removed the egg tubs, opened them up and candled each egg. I discovered that about 70% of them had the embryo spot facing down into the vermiculite - no idea why! I turned them all the right way up, and put them back into the incubator.

They're now bubbling away at around 30 - 31 degrees. Have I done everything right? Any advice and/or criticism appreciated! This is our first batch of beardie eggs and I reallllly want them to hatch

 

[falconboy]

From what I have read that sounds ok MissB. I know how you feel - I'm expecting breeding for the first time this season and I too am stressed out and asking a million questions.

I've never heard of the sponge trick though, sounds like a good idea if it works.

Good luck with the eggs.

 

[Miss B]

Thanks falconboy, it's nerve-wracking hey!! :shock:

Anyone else?!

 

[JungleRob]

I thought around 28/29deg was good.

Comments anyone?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[planks]

i would like to know as my beardie layed 18 good eggs last night none where bad as i was there with in 10 mins of her burying them this is also my first time incubating eggs

 

[Gery]

its little beardy time

 

[Miss B]

Hehe I hope so Gery.

Anyone else... advice... criticism..?

 

[White Wolf]

I've just got a question, if the embryo spot was facing down and not turned over would the eggs still have hatched ?

I'm just curious to know what happens in the wild if they get laid with the embryo spot down.
Would the eggs not be viable ?


P.S good luck with the eggs Miss B

P.P.S.. srry to hijack thread

 

[Miss B]

Thanks White Wolf, and that's ok, I'm wondering the same thing to be honest.

I was told that the embryo spot should be facing upwards, and when I checked, about 70% of them were facing down into the vermiculite. I kinda panicked and turned them the right way up. Mind you, this was all within a couple hours of the eggs being layed so I am hopeful they'll be ok.

 

[dragon lady]

Sounds great...didnt you use one of JasonL's Males, if he's close enough get him to sneak a peek.....
so glad everything went well for you.......your girl-sorry woman ,lol.........will be snoozing today i think.
And i for one am to keen to read/reply/and ask for myself on question that need answers.............this is what this site is for.
I myself am a bit by isolated for reliable sorces......i generally help others BUT...when im stuck ,i now have FAITH In you all to help !!!!!!...a shoulder to lean on...ARE YOU ALL !!!!!!! :lol:

 

[JasonL]

If you have your water / vermiculite ratio right, there is no need to have a sponge as there shouldn't be any drops forming on the lid at all, I mix mine so the lids are dry with only a very light mist on some sections of the walls. Beardie eggs are very tolerant of moisture though, compaired with some gecko Sp. they are bullet proof. As I said in the other thread, no need to worry about rolling the eggs if you have got to them within a day of laying, as the embryo has not attached itself to the egg wall yet

 

[Miss B]

Nope, the male belongs to JungleRob.

And thanks dragon lady, you are too sweet

I agree, there are so many people on here willing to share their experience, much appreciated by newbs like me

Ok cool, thanks Jason, I will *try* to stop being paranoid now. How often should I check the eggs and remove the lid (for fresh air?). And if it's starting to look a little dry in there, do I just mist the sides of the egg tubs?

 

[dragon lady]

AH.. just learnt something....EMBRYO attaches after 24hrs from delivery...just brilliant !!!!
No to stupider Q' to ask i think....cause if you dont ask ..that would be stupid!

 

[JasonL]

only add water if you cannot see any moisture on the tub walls at all, esp in the last couple of weeks as they liked to be dried out a tad closer to hatching, but if you do add water, yes just add a small amount at a time to the vermic, away from the eggs. Air the eggs once a week, for a few seconds. I know how hard it is to wait on your first eggs, you soon learn how paranoid you need to be with different species, beardies are easy, inc temp 27 - 33 no worries.

 

[JasonL]

AH.. just learnt something....EMBRYO attaches after 24hrs from delivery...just brilliant !!!!
No to stupider Q' to ask i think....cause if you dont ask ..that would be stupid!

Eggs can be rolled around alot longer than that in fact, maybe over a week after laying though you will be pushing your luck. Certainly within 24 hours there will never be a problem

 

[Miss B]

only add water if you cannot see any moisture on the tub walls at all, esp in the last couple of weeks as they liked to be dried out a tad closer to hatching, but if you do add water, yes just add a small amount at a time to the vermic, away from the eggs. Air the eggs once a week, for a few seconds. I know how hard it is to wait on your first eggs, you soon learn how paranoid you need to be with different species, beardies are easy, inc temp 27 - 33 no worries.

Cool. I'm sure if I make it through this clutch ok I'll be a lot more relaxed next time round :lol:

Thanks very much for your advice. Will be sure to keep everyone updated on how they go.

 

[planks]

does it matter what way the embryo is if shes layed it that way then shouldnt we leave them that way

 

[JasonL]

nope, the eggs have been moving around inside her, they don't "settle" for some time after she lays them, just don't move them after you have them incubating.

 

[Miss B]

Here's another random question - if the eggs are in an incubator that's made from a bar fridge (with good seals), is the incubator still susceptible to temperature spikes in the ambient room temp?

 

[falconboy]

In a well sealed fridge, you'll probably find not very much. If the incubator is in a house thats air conditioned in the really hot days, I wouldn't worry about that. I'm concerned because the only room in the house my incubator is safe from dogs and knocks is the hottest room that doesn't get much air conditioning flow, so I will have to be careful. On the really hot days I'll just stick a fan in that room and hopefully minimise the heat. Worse case scenario, being an esky I could always carefully move it to a cooler room though on a 45 deg day.