Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello
Could you share info. on the type of incubator you use to hatch Ackie eggs. I know your situation is different, (weather, location, etc.) but if you could share what you do, I may be able to learn from you and adjust it to my situation. Some questions:
1. What are the temps (do they or should they change)
2. What should the humidity level be(what is the range)
3. In regards to oxygen exchange, is a small vent all that is needed?
4. Does fungus/bacteria need to be controlled? If so how?

I think that's all for now....
P.S. Pics would be appreciated.

I do not use an incubator as such. A bunch of years ago the Barkers(pythons and more) kept pestering me about the benefits of a room. So I built one, and they were right, a room is so much better.

Heres a pic of the last incubators I used,

I made this incubator, as well as every incubator I ever used, dating back to the early sixties.

I hope you realize that an incubator is a snake cage, with shelves and a thermostat to keep the temperature in a small range.

The key to monitor eggs is mass, that is, having a large amount of medium. I use perlite, but I have also used sand, vermiculite, and more. I recomend perlite.

I incubate in the mid eighties. But I have little concern for exact temps. While at most times of the year, its stays in the 83 to 86 range, it does go up to near 90F and down to 80F. I do not care about that and have seen no adverse effects.

I do not check humidity, I check eggs. I could give a poop about what the humidity is, I feel the eggs, if they are soft, I add water, if they are hard, I don't. I know, I am a simple minded person. Hey it works.

My egg boxes are bone dry with no condensation at all. I hatch turtles, torts, snakes and monitors in this manner.

You can put small holes in the lid or not. It doesn't matter.

If you have bacteria or mold, its too late. Both bacteria and mold grow on dead material, most likely in these cases, dead eggs. So if its growing, you have little hope.

I have hatched snake eggs that were balls of mold. But not varanids, its rare to hatch an egg thats not perfect.

The problem with varanids and incubation is, you are better off taking a direction and staying with it. There is no mucking around with methods. Like changing mid-stream.

If you have living fertile eggs, they are easy to hatch, if you have infertile or dead eggs, they are hard to hatch. The problem is many people are trying to hatch the latter, then comment on how hard they are to hatch. A dead egg is not going to hatch under any circumstances. hahahahahahahaha.

If I forgot something let me know. Oh the boxes in the incubator are what I normally use. Cheers

Thanks.......
I do have one question. Your egg boxes are dry. Is the medium dry as well? I'm somewhat confused. When you did add water, did you add it to the perlite, or somewhere else in the incubator: when you used incubators. Thanks.........Just trying to learn...

bone dry perlite is mixed with water at a 50/50 ratio by weight. Like 400grams of perlite to 400 grams of water. That is a very good base to start from. I personally use a little less water then recomended. Maybe 55%perlite to 45% water. But not always, hahahahahahahahaha For instance, 50/50 in the fall, for the dry winter, and 55/45 in the summer for the humid monsoon season.

You see, incubating eggs is very much about making decisions. But you as a beginer has to make one decision. That is, what to start your learning curve with.

If you have hatched other reptile eggs, do what you did with them. Only use more mass/medium/substrate. Its really all the same, it only takes longer(then most)

I think the best approach is to not take it too seriously. Just do it. Cheers

has anyone ever tried keeping the eggs in the enclosure and seeing what happens? im very new to varanids and im still learning a lot.
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-Marshall
1.1.0 ball pythons
0.1.0 western fence lizard

I have hatched a clutch of ackies. I did not know they were laid. Then after another clutch was laid, I dug them up and found a cave with ackies hatching right next to the newly laid eggs. I have a pic of this.

I have hatched V.caudolineatus in the cage three times, once the parents must have ate the babies or I threw them out with the garbage. As I found hatched eggs and no babies. V.caudolineatus hatch very quickly for varanids. For me in the sixty day range.

Most eggs take a fair amount of time. In most cases several seasons, In the winter the eggs die in the ground. If they are laid early summer and hatch before fall, then it can happen. Here all larger monitors take to long to hatch in cages, cross throught several seasons.

In other words, its not a reliable method. Cheers

cam you show us the pic if its not too much trouble?
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-Marshall
1.1.0 ball pythons
0.1.0 western fence lizard

Thanks Frank......Well, time will tell......
RoadSpawn....