need help befor next clutch is laid (soon)

king nick · 02-13-05, 05:06 PM

well im not new to leos ive had experience with them 4 at least 3 years now. last year i thought id try breeding..........everything went well untill the end of the breeding season, the eggs would start to get mold on them. i thought it might have been the container they were in the incubator , it could have been air tight...........so far this season ive had my first 2 clutches in the last week, i used the same type of container but put a big hole in the top so it waz no longer air tight, the eggs were fine the first few days but i looked today and they started growin mold that looks like hair. my next clutch will b here n e time so i NEED help fast. what am i doing wrong?the temp is 82-84 and humidity is at 75%.

PLEASE HELP ME!!!
Nick

beanersmysav · 02-13-05, 05:50 PM

What type of substrate are the eggs in? I use vermiculite works well, also they could just be infertile or too moist etc

Manitoban Herps · 02-13-05, 06:19 PM

I think your substrate is too moist.

DragnDrop · 02-13-05, 07:01 PM

Healthy fertile eggs tend to be mold resistant. Either the eggs were infertile/died along the way or the conditions weren't right, allowing the mold to take hold anyways. As suggested already, chances are the substrate was too moist, but the actual substrate itself might have been harbouring mold spores.
If you could give us more info on how you have the eggs set up, we might be able to give you better advice.

king nick · 02-13-05, 07:02 PM

im using a mix of perilite(i think thats how u spell it) and vermiculite. is there any other possebility theres another reason for the mold? and is there a way u can save the eggs?

thanx for the quick replys
nick

king nick · 02-13-05, 07:10 PM

the eggs are all white still so im pretty shure they are fertile, allso when i found them they had collapsed a little bit, but isent that normal sometimes?
nick

LuxuryReptiles · 02-13-05, 07:30 PM

They are white when they are infertile, its most likely too wet inside how much water are you using, what ratio etc?

TLH_Wär§cöötmän · 02-13-05, 08:29 PM

Are you misting the eggs?? Dont. I use straight vermiculite. I think the others may be right, make sure its not too moist.

Manitoban Herps · 02-13-05, 08:30 PM

If the eggs collapes a day late runder the right conditions they are infertile, sorry.

king nick · 02-13-05, 08:57 PM

im sorry it might b just me but do u meen the eggs are supose to collapes the 1st day ............?im a lil convused
nick

peterm15 · 02-13-05, 09:01 PM

he means if the eggs collaps the day after being laid there infertile

Tim and Julie B · 02-13-05, 09:24 PM

Collapsing eggs are usually the result of infertility. Especially if you are finding them that way. A healthy fertile egg should feel firm, like a stale marshmallow. It should be white like eggshells. After a few days, you should candle your eggs. Gently mark the top of your eggs with a sharpie marker, as a precaution to know which side is up, then pick them up and shine a pen-light up & under the egg(candling). If you see thread like ribbons of pink/red then there are veins which means a fertile egg. If you don't see these try again in another couple of days.

When I first tried breeding I sucked! or so I thought. I couldn't seem to get any fertile eggs. I tried vermiculite, perlite and changed my ratios of medium to water. Still, moldy eggs and no babies! So, I switched males. A few months later I had my first fertile eggs. I have bred the original male a few times to other females with great results, but when I tried with the original female she layed infertile eggs again. Try a new male, it just might do the trick for you.

My incubator was a 10 gallon tank for a several years. I used a piece of styrofoam for a lid, cut to fit perfectly snug inside the top lip of the tank. I placed a large pickle jar with a fish tank heater and water in one end of the tank. Each pair of eggs was placed in their own deli cup of vermiculite and labelled with the parents names and date laid. I never poke holes in the lids of them, only the sides. I found that if I put hole in the lids that the condensation would build up around the holes and drip on the eggs, causing mold to grow. My ratio is roughly 2-3 tblsp water to ½ container of vermiculite. All my deli cups are pre-filled and waiting in the incubator.

Last year I used a very large styrofoam box as an incubator. I had a 100% hatch rate. This year, it'll be two styrofoam boxes-one for boys and one for girls

My guess is that if you switch your male you'll have some better luck. If not, reduce the amount of water you are using. Completely clean your incubator, to get rid of mold spores, and try again. Hope this helps a little.

Julie