[maddy]

Hey Guys,
Not having a good season this year currently the incubator is just warming up some new perlite. So i acquired 3 leopard geckos last year to join the collection, they have done there business in Feb and have been producing eggs every 3ish weeks since.

SpottyDotty, one of the females is eating well and the eggs come out looking healthy, plump and ready for cooking. the first 2 that come out i put in the incubator at 28oC with vermiculite and a humidity of 85-90%. however 2 weeks down the line they was moldy, spent many days cleaning them off but it just wasn't good. candled the eggs and couldn't see any darker spots (im coloured blind so could see if it was yellow or pink). so iv got new vermiculite and lowered the humidity as many posts say it was too damp.
out poped the next 2 eggs - looking good again. this time they was in the incubator again and went moldy after a week and half.

Iv now swapped to a new container, changed to Perlite and have the humidity back at 85-90 but the eggs still failing , the 2 this morning had been in there for 3 days and they have started denting in on themselves.

this isn't just one gecko, the other female's eggs are doing the same.

if gecko eggs are easy to breed it doesn't say alot for me. i have plenty of mini vivs ready for them to hatch, just need geckos

Help!


Maddy:censor:

 

[**louise**]

Are you sure they are fertile? You should be able to see veins after a couple of days?

Is it just the one male who's bred all 3 females?

 

[maddy]

No that's what strange there is 2 males. 3 females. so from the sounds of what I put the incubation bit sounds correct to you? Just being unlucky?

 

[**louise**]

I had bad luck last year. I incubated a couple of lovely eggs. A few days later I candled and saw veins. They stayed perfect, all through incubation and then went overdue by a few days. The eggs started to harden so I cut them and found a perfectly formed dead baby in each No idea what went wrong.

This year the female has laid a couple of clutches, all the eggs have been infertile. I've given up!

Hopefully someone more experienced than me, can offer you some advice.

 

[Debbie1962]

Well I have bred many species of lizard and some royals and dont tend to have the humidity too high yet I have a good success rate with hatching. Perhaps try and reduce the humidity because they are going mouldy it suggests there is too much humidity. Unless they are infertile of course.

 

[Azastral]

I did a lot of reading about egg incubation for beardies, and although i am not sure if the same applies there are some general tips that seem to be on most of the sites i read through.

Might be worth switching to vermiculite rather than perlite, its naturally resistant to mould and bacteria.

I would also use freshly boiled water to soak the vermiculite and then leave to cool and put in the incubator in preparation for the eggs.

Avoid touching the eggs, maybe use sterile latex/nytrile gloves when transferring them in or clean metal tongs that have properly rinsed (you dont want any traces of cleaning chemicals)

Be cautious about how much liquid you add, you should be able to squeeze/compress the vermiculite and have no excess water, its better to have the vermiculite a little too dry than it is too wet, you can always irrigate additional water around the edges (always avoid getting water directly onto any eggs).

Dont completely seal the containers, there needs to be some air flow/escape for excess humidity.

 

[Debbie1962]

Be cautious about how much liquid you add, you should be able to squeeze/compress the vermiculite and have no excess water, its better to have the vermiculite a little too dry than it is too wet, you can always irrigate additional water around the edges (always avoid getting water directly onto any eggs).

Dont completely seal the containers, there needs to be some air flow/escape for excess humidity.

This is exactly how I incubate eggs. I also use vermiculite with a little damp moss on the top of the eggs. I ocassionally add a little water if needed.