incubation temps?

bushmaster · 02-08-04, 03:00 PM

i've been told between 70/80f that's quite a range cananyone narrow it down thanx

CDN-Cresties · 02-08-04, 03:06 PM

Anything it that range will hatch, that is what i have read.

-Steve-

DragnDrop · 02-08-04, 05:29 PM

I keep my crestie (and gargoyle) eggs in the basement where the temperature never goes above 72F. It ranges from around 65 - 72F, summer or winter. The eggs take almost 3 months to hatch, but the majority of them are female.

The hatchlings are just as healthy as those incubated higher and hatched faster.

One thing you'll find about crestie incubation temperature discussions --- it's a hot debate topic. I prefer cooler temps, not only because I get lots of females, but it seems more natural. Why would the 'wild' eggs get a high temperature like 75-80 if buried in the ground? The sun would have to be beating on that spot all day to raise the soil temp up, not an easy thing to do in a forest or wooded area. Seems to me it's more likely to be cooler where the eggs are laid. But that's just my guess, I'm no expert.

AnthonyC · 02-09-04, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DragnDrop
Why would the 'wild' eggs get a high temperature like 75-80 if buried in the ground? The sun would have to be beating on that spot all day to raise the soil temp up, not an easy thing to do in a forest or wooded area. [/B]

It's the same principle as a compost mound. Basically, the decaying organic and fecal matter in the soil will boost the temperature in the ground. In a typical man-made compost mound, the temperature can get up to 140-150 F, so it certainly wouldn't take much to boost the soil temperature a few degrees. If the soil that the cresties lay their eggs in had just a little bit of decaying matter (which it most likely would), the temperature would easily get up to 75-80 F...possibly even higher, depending on where the eggs are laid.

I'm not saying the eggs should be incubated at high temps, but just thought I'd throw that out there.

Mine have been incubated at anywhere from 68-82 F without problems.

Dark_Angel_25 · 02-09-04, 11:58 AM

have either of you left the eggs in the tank? or just put it in moist sphagnum moss and left them at room temp, misting every now and then to keep the moss moist? just wondering if that would work... like take the lay box out and put a lid on it with holes for ventilation and keep it lets say inyour room or something? could that work?

AnthonyC · 02-09-04, 02:36 PM

I wouldn't leave the eggs in the tank for a number of reasons. For one, it's too hard to keep the perfect moisture level in the substrate, so the eggs will probably either dry out or become too moist at some point during the incubation period. Also, if they did happen to hatch, the adults would likely eat the babies. Why risk it?

As for the sphagnum, I don't see why you would want to do that, but I would think that if the eggs were kept in direct contact with moist sphagnum, they'd probably become moldy.

I really don't see why anyone would go to all that trouble when it's so easy to do it the way that we know works. All you have to do is buy some Perlite or Vermiculite at your local Wal-Mart, mix it with water, put the eggs in there, put it on a bookshelf and check the moisture once per week.

bushmaster · 02-10-04, 07:17 AM

thanx all of you for the replies i got the eggs out within 8 hrs put them in 2 inches of moist perlite and now their incubating at 75-76 iam using a hovabator and i find it hard to stablize the temps it goes up an down 1.5-2.5 degrees hopefully this won't continue but should i worry ? any suggestions?
thanx for your time Jay

D Healey · 02-10-04, 01:20 PM

Those temps are just fine dont worry be happy.

Wuntu Menny · 02-13-04, 02:47 PM

Anthony: with regard to the compost theory, Is there evidence that wild cresteds deposit their eggs in areas where this type of supplemental heating is present? I'm just curious as I've never heard that one brought up.

I usually incubate mine below the prescribed range (mid to high 70's) and, while it does take longer to hatch them, to my knowledge they have all been female so far. I've also missed a clutch that were buried deep in the cage substrate and both hatched in the enclosure and ended up perfectly healthy.

WM

AnthonyC · 02-13-04, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wuntu Menny
Anthony: with regard to the compost theory, Is there evidence that wild cresteds deposit their eggs in areas where this type of supplemental heating is present? I'm just curious as I've never heard that one brought up.

Nope...just a theory...a well thought out theory, though.

It's widely known that they do lay their eggs at the base of plants or trees, so I'd say that it's safe to say that the top soil that Cresteds lay their eggs in probably has a fair share of plant and fecal matter...in fact, I wouldn't doubt it if they lay their eggs at the base of plants that they themselves live in. When any organic matter (for example, plant matter and fecal matter) is present in the soil, it will generate some heat as it decomposes. Naturally, the soil wouldn't have such a high concentration of organic matter or generate nearly as much heat as a compost mound, but it would surely contain trace amounts and will in turn generate some heat...even if just a little bit.

Considering that, and considering the fact that compost mounds will get up into the 150 degree range on a 70 degree day, there's no reason (at least in my mind) to doubt that the soil that ciliatus lay their eggs in could get up to 75-80 degrees on a 70-75 degree day in New Caledonia.

Having said all that, that's not to say that they require a temperature of 75+ degrees. I know by first hand experience, that ciliatus eggs will do fine with the temps dipping down into the high 60's.

Quote:

I've also missed a clutch that were buried deep in the cage substrate and both hatched in the enclosure and ended up perfectly healthy.

WM

Just be glad the substrate stayed moist enough and that you found them before the adults did. I just think it's too risky, considering that you can just put them in a container of moist perlite and set them on the shelf.

Cedille · 02-25-04, 08:05 PM

Why is everyone slagging moss? I've hatched almost every crested gecko egg my adults have laid on moss, and had a 100% success rate.

And doesn't it stand to reason that if cresteds laid eggs in soil that naturally reached 75 - 80 degrees, most of the natural population would be male? i think that's assuming too much.

I've never kept any to maturity that were hatched at room temperature. i think i'll keep 2 from the eggs i have now (8 all together.. that's what happens when you clean the tank out.. lol) and see what happens! all the others i've kept i've incubated at 80 and they were boys.