Posted by:
PHLdyPayne
at Sun Feb 7 14:37:16 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by PHLdyPayne ]
An egg laying bin can be any container that is big enough for your ball to be inside loosely coiled and still have room to move around and lay eggs. Damp sphagnum moss (not too damp, shouldn't get any water oozing out if you squeeze it really hard) can be layered inside (about half full, she will move it around to make a nest.) Cut a hole in the lid of the container wide enough for you female to get inside, with room to spare, or in the side of the container. I like having the lid up as you can just remove the lid and carefully unwind the mother from her eggs then take the eggs out. It is also handy to have a second lid, just in case the eggs affix to the bottom of the container, then you can just take out the moss, add vermiculite (mixed with equal amount of water by weight) around the eggs, leaving the tops exposed. Put the new lid on (with some holes drilled in) then fit into an incubator.
If the eggs are loose, just move them into an incubation dish with the vermiculite (or perlite, or hatchrite) don't change the orientation of the eggs, and half bury them into the incubation medium. Place in the incubator.
As for when to expect eggs, I believe its about 20-30 days after the pre-lay shed. Not sure on this time, but never hurts to already have the egg laying bin in place ahead of time.
Also, now is a good time to set up your incubator and make sure it holds temperatures and humidity well, and you have everything you need for an incubation bin etc. Far better to have the incubator all ready for eggs weeks in advance, then have to run about in a panic trying to get it ready when you see eggs being laid or after they are laid.
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PHLdyPayne
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RE: first time breeding - PHLdyPayne, Sun Feb 7 14:37:16 2010