Candling gecko eggs - What to look for?

bidden · 03-12-04, 11:56 PM

I'm new to this fourm so it's probably been covered in a previous thread.... But I'm gonna ask anyways.

I got another clutch of eggs today from my viper gecko's, that's a total of 6 eggs so far now.

I decided that I would attempt to candle these eggs and see what I found.... Here's my results:

clutch laid 2/6/04 - both eggs had destinct black spots, one appeared to be closer to the shell than the other

clutch 2/24/04 - first egg had definate signs of somethjing growing inside, looked as any fertile egg should, second had only a visable vein that looked to run on the outside of the shell.

I didn't bother to candle the one's just laid.

Does this sound normal, I've never delt with eggs before, first time breeder

Thanks

PS. if your interested in babies PM me.... not too long before they hatch.

Stockwell · 03-13-04, 01:15 AM

Most parchment shell eggs will show similar signs under transillumination.
Shorly after oviposition, fertile eggs will usually glow with a pinkish hue, or there will be a small internal mass detected inside.
This mass will develope blood vessels eventually that will spread out along the inside shell wall of the egg, and these will be detectable by using a small penlight flashlight, or the new white Led lights.( a 5 dollar investment)
Sometimes these blood vessels will be there the day they are laid and other times, it may take a couple weeks for them to develope, but the presence of a red or pink glow followed by blood vessels is the tell tale sign of a fertile egg.