3 deformed pastels, any ideas why?

[slither9192]

Well this is my first year breeding and I got a nice clutch of 9 eggs. One got moldy and the rest seemed fine. They hatched last week (I cut most of them after the first pipped). Well there are 4 pastels and 4 normals. All the normals were fine but only one of the pastels was fine. 3 of the pastels came out dead or deformed. All had deformities in the mouth and 2 of them were kinked badly. As far as I know the temperatures during incubation never changed drastically always staying between 87-90 and humidity was constantly above 90%. Could this just be genetic from the father pastel? If I breed him again next year you think the same thing will happen?

[LadyOhh]

It sounds like an incubator issue. Deformed babies usually come from egg problems, so you may want to take a very close look at your incubation techniques.

[slither9192]

I'm using a hova bator with a tub filled vermiculite. Their were no large temp swings that I am aware of, that's why it surprises me. I checked the temp and humidity most days and it never changed too much. I don't know whats up.

[JasonG]

I'm using a hova bator with a tub filled vermiculite. Their were no large temp swings that I am aware of, that's why it surprises me. I checked the temp and humidity most days and it never changed too much. I don't know whats up.

Ive heard those hovabators are bad news. Next year I would go with something else.

[wolfy-hound]

Normally I would say incubator.. but you said the normals were fine. Were they all one clutch? Were the normals on one side, or any way that they would get different conditions?

[Jerhart]

....sometimes it just happens unfortunately.

I would point fingers at the incubator or incubation technique if they all hatched deformed, but seeings this was not the case....

[joepythons]

Ive heard those hovabators are bad news. Next year I would go with something else.

Not always .I used them and never had a single problem.To the OP sadly it happens sometimes the babies dont complete the development

[Bill Buchman]

Sorry about your clutch. If you have more than ONE badly kinked PASTEL in a clutch -- it is almost surely to be a HIGH TEMP problem (95+ degrees for more than 48 hrs.)

I would not trust what your temps are telling you -- your clutch is telling you something different. I would advise going wih a more substantial cooker next season. My 2 cents. Best of luck.

[Dave763]

Hovabators are ok if you use a tub with a lid inside and a good thermostat.

Having said that I might mention I have never used one except for the last few days of incubation when sometimes I will put them on cam and do live streaming, letting people see them hatching online.

[takagari]

A friend just produced 4 normals and 3 mojave. All three mojave had kinked tails. 2 are being sold as pets as it's only minor. the other one had to be put to sleep

Beautiful animals. it was a sin. I had heard from some people that sometimes genes just don't agree.
Try the same pairing next year. if you get the same problem than you can prove it to be a genetics issue between mommy and daddy? But I found very little info to back this theory.