Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I set up my thermometer last evening. Now of course this is only one 24 hour period but the minium temp was 72.5 F and the maximum was 76.5 F.

I am sure the temps have been lower though as during the winter months the temps in our home flutuated much more. We had a crappy thermostat on our furnace and it was tough to maintain a consistant temp in our house. Also, my hubby likes to set the thermostat back to 65 F when we go out of town. We are never gone more than 4 days at a time but nevertheless that would surely have an impact on the reptile room and therefor the incubator.

I used to be able to maintian the eggs between 68 and 74 F but since we moved to South Dakota our house is all living space. I don't have the utility room that is cooler than the rest of the house. The eggs must be in our living area, or the lizard room, and are a bit warmer. I haven't noticed a change in incubation time, still seem to take about 159 days. That is still less than the 190 that the written documentation indicates by a bit more than a month.

If I note any other changes I will let you know.
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

One thing for sure these eggs are tough, they can take very low temps and I have reasons to believe they can tale much higher temps too.
One thing that’s characteristic of south east Asia tropical forests, is the hot days and cool knights, theirs a huge NTL-DTH difference, the fact that these dragons don’t nest very deep is a clear indication that there eggs have the ability to support temperature variation, knowing these forest are regularly flooded, I can only assume that these eggs are influenced by water.
This is why my future incubation will be a much more standard incubation 84-87f with a 5-8 degree drop at knight, I will use a dripper type of approach, this simply means that after a time period 40-50 days of incubation, we use one egg per clutch and submerge it 5 minutes in water, if the embryo is ready the hatch it will do so in the following days, this give you the clue that your clutch is ready to hatch, submerging the other eggs will make them hatch. We dip eggs every 2-3 weeks this do not harm the egg in any way.

This method will show us exactly what these eggs can do, its possible that 159 days can not be shortened in any way, but I have dough’s and I am sure you have dough’s also.
One thing for sure this experiment is exiting.

Rgds

I am very tired and must get to bed or tomorrow will be a waist! ; ) But, I had to see what you had to say here.

Yes, I have my doubts that 159 is the best that can be expected from these eggs. I had one clutch that hatched out at 127! I think that is right, I know it was 120something. That is another month yet trimmed off of the incubation time, or 2 months less than the documented time stated by Manthey in the book. This clutch seemed vigorous but I did find that I lost more than what was normal while raising them up. I can't be sure that this had anything to do with the shortened incubation time though as I only achieved this hatch time one time.

If I were not interested in your ideas I would not be willing to exchange ideas and information with you. I am not willing at this point to risk any of my eggs as I just don't have that many. But, I am willing to listen and consider new ideas. I wish you success!
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

I am leaving for the Salomon’s a few months, then my family and me will move to Japan, once I settle inn will post again. Sometime next winter.
You are a fine lady Marcia, I enjoyed talking with you, have fun with your dragons, and if you ever feel bold try something different, you never know It might be pleasing?

Kind regards

Just want to leave you with a bit of news, I feel it’s not fair for me to leave on vacation without sharing this moment. We hatched 6 gonocephalus in 73 days at 79f-85f, babies are set following my usual husbandry and doing well, they feed on crickets.
Sins they are only CH and not CB I will not publish this information, however I will with the following generation. Following my husbandry methods these babies should be sexually mature at about 8 months. As off this day all my dragon eggs have been changed to this range of temps, this including the capras.
The photo of the 80 day gono was the sibling egg that was incubated following Ingo’s advice, I was hoping for him to give me the opportunity to share this with him.

Anyway to each his own, enjoy your lizards.
Hope to talk soon
Rgds

In case you are still around, best regards! Your posts will be missed and I look forward to your return.
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

Dear Marcia I am in my last preparative before leaving.

I would like you to know that I am not the arrogant person that my post portrait me to be. I am only a passionate keeper and breeder that loves his animals.
When I first came here I was burning with the desire to tell you how fare your husbandry was from what it can be, no joke you can improve 10 folds, I didn’t say it because I feared this would hurt your feelings. I know I sound stupid and arrogant to you, I am sorry for this, but pleas try to understand that iv been studying the reproduction of reptiles for almost 3 decades, iv bred many species never bred before and some not even known to science, therefore when someone says something I take note and question this information, if it doesn’t fit with my own observations, then I discard it or use what’s good.

In this case gonocephalus, all the information was wrong! To prove it I incubated my way and incubated following Ingo’s way, the results are clear, mine hatched at 73 days and are doing excellent, feeding like champs, needles to say Ingo’s technique sucks! This is an 80 day old embryo, I feel like Iv put an end to this poor babies torture, because no dough about it, starving an embryo this way is cruel and unnecessary.

I will keep you informed, by the time we talk again my babies will be adults, pleas re read my posts, in them you will find keys to my husbandry, I strongly feel your lizards can benefit from this, otherwise I would not tell you.

My gonos when from nesting first clutch to nesting the 2 clutch 44 days, and 32 days for clutch no 3, my capra are showing similar nesting.
I am quit sure that 30 days between clutches and 55 days incubation is very possible for both these species, of course I will prove it to you, but I am telling you now in case you would like to follow my progress with your animals.

Pleas Marcia don’t ever let peoples tell you it cant be don, don’t fall for theories from peoples who never did it or cant see outside the box. Iv opened new doors for you to enjoy, once you cross one of these doors theirs an all new world to explore.

Il be thinking of you in the Salomon’s

Rgds

np

one final note!!

This man Frank Rates really knows more then anyone iv seen on the net, seek him for guidence if you need any.

http://www.varanus.net/cgi-bin/eboard30/index2.cgi?frames=no&board=Main