A load of Crestie Q's

[HeatherRose]

Breeding Q's that is...

How should I light (keep warm) the eggs?

How many eggs are laid at once?

Is there any other information I should know about egg laying in general! I plan to keep the geckos supplemented well with calcium and vitamin D...


Heather

[Katatonic]

If your room is warm enough (from 77-81F), you can incubate the eggs in some form of damp incubation medium (vermiculite, perlite etc.). If your room doesn't reach the desired temperatures, your best bet would be to go to a local herp shop and purchase one of the basic hovabators (chicken incubators) which work fabulously at maintaining constant temperatures for herp eggs.
As with most species of gecko, the Crested lays 2 eggs, typically, per clutch, and the female tends to lay them in a damp spot inside her cage. Be sure to provide her with a designated spot for this, or they may dry up right quick. Put in a plastic margarine container filled with damp moss, coconut husk bedding, vermiculite, or even peat, and place the lid on the container, making sure there's an adequate sized hole cut in the lid for the female to slip into to lay her eggs.
Good luck.
LATER.

[HeatherRose]

Thanks, katatonic..... very helpful.....do you by any chance know the incubation period?

[Katatonic]

Incubation period lasts anywhere from 65 to 86 days depending solely on the temperature the eggs are incubated at.

Between 77 and 81F, the average duration is 70 days. That's probably the best range as well.

Good luck.
LATER.

[Youkai]

I hate to be a brat, but by incubating at 79°F, my crested eggs usually hatch between 55-65 days...

[HeatherRose]

lol ok....so 79-80 is usually a good idea then?

Heather

[Youkai]

I get about a 50-50 male/female ratio that way. Above and below I seemed to get more males...but I didn't do extremes.
Anyway, I have an awsome hatch rate and everything at that temp as well, so I tend to stick to it.

[HeatherRose]

ok thanks I still have to wait until Murdoch gets a girlfriend though....but I'm working on it

Heather

[Katatonic]

Heh, could have something to do with our room temperatures Youkai, those hovabators can be a little bit sketchy depending on where they're set up. I'm just going on what I've read and what has worked for me. Everyone has their seperate successes.

[Youkai]

I agree! That's why I got a digital thermometer with a probe and everything. The book I have says the temp I use should produce mostly females, but that is certainly not the case.