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Carbon dioxide influence on eggs hatching?
Has anyone heard of or known about carbon dioxide build-up being highly influential in eggs hatching? I was talking to a long time herper at the show last week and was told about this. It's the first time I'd heard it, but it makes complete sense to me. It sure could explain a lot of mishaps I've had over the years. Next breeding season I'm going to keep better records and see if it can explain any premature or non-hatching eggs I might have.
In short, carbon dioxide build-up helps initiate hatching in a lot of egg laying species, not just reptiles, but birds as well. The low oxygen causes the embryo to struggle and break the shell. It helps explain the mass hatching of entire clutches like chams too.
I'm going to be more careful how often I open the delicups next year when eggs are close to term, and making it a point to open the lids more often early during incubation. Off hand, I do know of 3 premature and 2 non-hatching geckos from this year alone that could have been 'victims' of this theory.
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