Lost My Clutch

[Crawly's Mom]

Well I sadly lost my clutch and am really rather discouraged about it. I am thinking perhaps I just did not set up the egg tub correctly and it got too wet. If anyone has some links to some more educational sites about setting up good tubs and taking care of eggs I would really appreciate it. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. If I am checking on them too much, changing the substrate too much or not enough. How often do people check their eggs? Is it ever necessary to switch to a new tub with fresh substrate for the right moisture content? Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks guys.

[iCandiBallPythons]

I use hatchrite and add water to the corners in small increments as needed, theres no reason to switch containers. I incubate at 89.5 to 90 F. What are using for an incubator?

[SquamishSerpents]

I never switch substrate. I use the SIM method, suspend eggs over wet vermiculite. No humidity in the egg box whatsoever, until a little before hatch time.

So far, the SIM method has been by far the most successful for us.

[Simple Man]

Changing the substrate?

I use 6qt locking tubs, vermiculite about two inches thick, with light diffuser on top. I add water in the corners until the vermiculite is thoroughly saturated. I don't really ever check them besides the initial vein check and peeking through the incubator glass. I don't have to add water. There is no humidity in the tub until they are about a week from hatching and then condensation forms on the tub walls. I cut at day 50-51 with small triangle slits. They usually come out 4-5 days after. I incubated at 90.5 or so.

Regards,

B

[Crawly's Mom]

I have an old wine fridge that was converted into an incubator. The temps were good the whole time, steadily between 89.7-90. I think my issue was too much moisture. I had the verm with the light difuser that the eggs were sitting on. The eggs began to look dimpled, which scared me, I thought the moisture was too low so I ended up adding more. I think I ended up adding too much because the eggs molded. So once you set the box up the first time with the substrate equal weight (based on he video I saw) water and verm, where it crumbles in your hand... then you never have to change it or anything? You just add a little moisture? How often? I am terrified of blowing it again. :\

[Simplex]

My method 15 good eggs this year.

Shoe box tubs
Light diffuser panels, from lowes. Or an. Old office building
Vermiculite from your local garden center
Glad press and seal
Incubator 88-90

Cut ur light diffuser to size. Place vermiculite in tub. Fill with water until there is slight standing water. Then place two layers of light diffuser. So top layer is just above wAter..place eggs, cover with glad and lid.. Leave them. Open tubs and exchange the air once a week.

[adamsky27]

How do you guys not get condensation? I haven't had any BP eggs, but I do use the same method for my leopard gecko eggs. My eggs are all hatching fine, but I do have constant condensation on the lid of my tub.

[KatStoverReptiles]

I have an old wine fridge that was converted into an incubator. The temps were good the whole time, steadily between 89.7-90. I think my issue was too much moisture. I had the verm with the light difuser that the eggs were sitting on. The eggs began to look dimpled, which scared me, I thought the moisture was too low so I ended up adding more. I think I ended up adding too much because the eggs molded. So once you set the box up the first time with the substrate equal weight (based on he video I saw) water and verm, where it crumbles in your hand... then you never have to change it or anything? You just add a little moisture? How often? I am terrified of blowing it again. :\

If you're using the "crumbly vermiculite" method, usually the eggs sit directly on the verm. If you're using the light diffuser method, you add water till the verm is thoroughly soaked. There might even be small puddles forming on the top of it, then you add a light diffuser on top and the eggs go on top of that. The eggs should never come in direct contact with the water. Honestly you could use just water and a light diffuser, no substrate, but then there's nothing to prevent the water from sloshing around when you move the tub and getting on the eggs. If you think your eggs look a little dimpled too early, you can lightly mist them with water or place a damp paper towel on top of them.


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[Don]

I use the light diffuser method as well, with Perlite. The only reason you use vermiculite or perlite is to keep the water from sloshing and touching the eggs. I've even seen some people use pebbles in the bottom. Sorry you lost the clutch. If you do a search on this forum for egg tubs, you will find many different ways to set them up. I think for the inexperienced, the diffuser is a good method because you don't have to worry about how wet or dry your medium is.

[loonunit]

I don't change the substrate AT ALL. That's odd, you shouldn't have to do that.

I did wind up having to cling-wrap the tubs to keep the humidity up. I didn't have to do that last year---I think it's the new incubator with the fan blowing dry Arizona air around.

I also check on the eggs once a day, particularly as the hatch date gets closer. (Partly because I was worried about oxygen. But mostly I'm bored and I want them to hatch already.) I don't think checking on them hurts them, just your/my sanity.

There's plenty of condensation on my tubs, particularly on the side by the fridge door. Condensation means there's a temperature gradient in the incubator, so the inside of the tub is warmer than the outside. It's nearly impossible to avoid in a small incubator.

I keep the eggs away from the side of the tub, and I use a bit of the plastic light grating to keep the eggs from sitting directly in the vermiculite:



... I would definitely recommend the grating next year. Given what happened this season, you might even want to try the substrate-less incubation, with just some water in the bottom of the tub and three pieces of grating stacked to keep the eggs out of the water. I don't really like water incubation, because I do check on the eggs so frequently, and the water sloshes when I pull the tubs out.... but definitely do consider the grating on top of a slightly drier substrate next year.

And last, temperatures. A heat spike can kill a whole clutch like that. What's your incubator?