Is my clutch dead?

[the_rotten1]

Quick update: The temperature has been stable the last few days, no more errors, so I'm focusing on increasing the humidity with the hope of getting rid of some of the dimpling. It's been at 95% pretty consistently, but I haven't been able to get it any higher than that. I tired putting a moist paper towel on the eggs, but it didn't seem to help, so I took the plastic out from under them. They look a bit better since I took it out. The smell of fungus seems to have vanished as well.

I've been busy the last couple of days, but I think someone dug up an old thread that advised people to put suran wrap over the tub, just under the lid. Has anyone ever tried that? The thread recommended to lift the wrap every 3-5 days for ventillation. That doesn't sound like a lot to me, but if it helps I'd be willing to give it a try.

[zina10]

Quick update: The temperature has been stable the last few days, no more errors, so I'm focusing on increasing the humidity with the hope of getting rid of some of the dimpling. It's been at 95% pretty consistently, but I haven't been able to get it any higher than that. I tired putting a moist paper towel on the eggs, but it didn't seem to help, so I took the plastic out from under them. They look a bit better since I took it out. The smell of fungus seems to have vanished as well.

I've been busy the last couple of days, but I think someone dug up an old thread that advised people to put suran wrap over the tub, just under the lid. Has anyone ever tried that? The thread recommended to lift the wrap every 3-5 days for ventillation. That doesn't sound like a lot to me, but if it helps I'd be willing to give it a try.

Yes, I've used "press and seal" and I think a lot of people do..

[the_rotten1]

Thanks Zina.

Thanks to everyone else too. I was really worried about the eggs and it helped to have your input. I know I'm not out of the woods just yet, but so far things are looking up.

[bcr229]

If you do use the press n seal or saran wrap make sure that the low point where condensation collects and then drips off of it is off in over one corner of the eggs tub, NOT over top of the eggs. That water dripping on them would also kill them.

[the_rotten1]

Will do, thanks!

[ElliotNess]

If you want to increase the humidity, the only way to do it is to change the Dew Point. If you use 5 cups of vermiculite and 2 cups of water, the humidity will be different than if you use 6 cups of vermiculite and 2 cups of water. The relative humidity decreases because the vermiculite is capable of taking on more moisture, but the same amount of water remains. So to increase the amount of humidity, you have to use more water. I put roughly 1.5 inches of vermiculite in a 6qt tub and then I simply add water until I can see the water nearing the surface. I don't squish it in my fingers and make sand castles. I took my advice from a couple old bums who have hatched 1 or 2..... dozen thousand clutches..

Hope everything works out well for you...

[the_rotten1]

So over the past several days there were two eggs that slowly sunk in and started growing mold while the others began to plump up. Last night the smell got strong enough that it started to bother me, so I gently pulled the moldy eggs away from the healthy ones and threw them out. I'm sad they didn't make it, but really happy the rest did. 6 out of 8 ain't bad, particularly since I was afraid I'd lose the entire clutch.

[the_rotten1]

Update: the remaining 6 eggs made it! I started to get a little worried on day 61, checked for signs of life on day 62, and ended up cutting on day 63, just in case they were having trouble getting out of the eggs. Nothing much happened on day 64. Then this morning, on day 65, the first one finally stuck it's head out!



More pics to come when the other 5 slither out of their shells! I didn't see any defmorities through the slits, so I'm pretty optimistic about their chances of survival now. I know I have at least one pied in there and I'm so happy the parents proved out!

[C.Marie]

Congratulations so glad things turn out well, such a sweet little face popping out can not wait to see when they all came out to meet the awesome person who worked so hard to help save them as eggs 😊🎉

[artgecko]

Congrats and good luck with them once they hatch out.