Incubating Questions

[MrBredli]

Can someonle please tell me what causes mould to begin growing on eggs? What can be done to prevent it? What problems does it cause? What should you do if it happens?

Also, i have been told to use medium or large grade vermiculite and to avoid the fine grade. What problems have been associated with the use of fine grade vermiculite.

Thanks in advance.

 

[childreni_440]

what causes mould to begin growing on eggs?

In my expirence mold grew when the temp was too high and or humidity was too high.

 

[childreni_440]

what causes mould to begin growing on eggs?

In my expirence mold grew when the temp was too high and or humidity was too high.

What problems does it cause?

Eggs could die.

 

[JunglePython]

mold is not going to hurt your eggs.

Small grade vermiculite can be ingested by snake.

I use grade four(4).

I get 100 liters for $17-00.

I think large vermiculite would help with oxygen transfer.

 

[serpenttongue]

Fine grade tends to become a sloppy mess, like the eggs are sitting in goop (is that a word? :? ) As junglepython said, the larger grade does help with oxygen transfer and is more of a dry surface for the eggs than fine grade.

If you mix isnt right and you have to much humidity then mould will occur and can kill the eggs. Its always better to err on the dry side. Its much easier to add water to a mix thats too dry, than to try and dry out a mix thats too damp.

You can either prepare a new dryer mix in a new egg container and transfer the eggs into it, or lift the lid to your existing container for an hour or so to let it dry out a bit. I would also try and wipe off any mould or fungus thats developed on the eggs.

Good luck
regards serpenttongue.

 

[The Rock]

To much moisture in the mix. Mould will kill eggs. Tinaderm fungicide powder will save most of them, avilable at chemist,just dust infected areas with powder. Make sure you buy the fungicide only NOT the fungicide and bacterial.

 

[Pike01]

Do you have a pic of the eggs, a little mould dosent hurt the eggs, is it spreading from a dead egg?
Dunno about the vermiculite, never use it and never will.

 

[The Rock]

vermiculite rules,- I get pretty much 100 percent hatch rate with every different speices. Large grade is best.

 

[MrBredli]

Thanks everyone for the replies- lots of help.

pike1- my eggs (bredli) aren't due for a few more weeks. The reason i asked is because i previously had a problem with D. psammophis eggs, and suspected that the fine grade vermiculite was to blame. Also there is another thread going on another site, and i was looking for some more input on the subject.

Thanks again everyone for your help.

 

[BROWNS]

Just something i have just found out is getting some large grade vermiculite that if the original dry mix is left open to the air it absorbs heaps of moisture from natural humidity.

 

[JunglePython]

just to be sure mine is dry I bake it in the oven for an hour and then weigh it, mix it with filtered water and place it in egg containers.

 

[serpenttongue]

Mr Bredli, what is the ratio of water to vermiculite that you used in the past? I always make my mixes dryer than necessary. For example if i was using 200g of vermiculite than i would add 190ml of water, not 200ml as many do. This gives me a safety margin in case the vermiculite had already absorbed moisture from the air etc, and 200g verm/190ml water is still a good mix that creates enough humidity in the egg container regardless.

 

[MrBredli]

Serpernttongue, it was quite a few years ago. I believe i used 1:1 by weight, possibly a little drier though. A bit after that i got out of reptiles and have only just started to get back into it this year. In between then and now the only other eggs i've had were Burton's, and i used a type of moss to hatch then with no problems. Having read all the posts here and on other sites re: this subject, i must come to the conclusion that fine grade vermiculie is unsuitable for incubating reptile eggs, and that it was most likely the cause of the mould that killed all the eggs. I think your first post summed it all up perfectly, and that is the view i now have.
I have no doubt that vermiculite is the best substrate to use, but obviously it should be grade 4 or higher. That's what i'll be using this season and next, and i also intend to use a ratio a bit drier that 1:1.

 

[serpenttongue]

Cool