Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK,I've had my first two Pit clutches ever laid the past few weeks. Both were laid UNDER the Spagnum Moss,and adhered to the bottom of the Rubbermaid nestbox.

I pulled out as much moss as I dared,and surrounded them with Perlite as I was afraid to try to detach them. My Black Pine eggs,which I'm pretty sure I found the same day they were laid, look OK after 3 weeks,but the Sonoran,which might have been laid a day or two ago, don't look so hot(I found them today).

How do I avoid this in the future when I don't catch her in the act before the eggs adhere?? Should I disturb her by looking under the moss more often??

Will they be OK even without Perlite directly underneath due to the bottoms sticking?

Thanks
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

well i'd like to hear what others have to say on this lloyd;but i'll offer my humble opinion since no one else has,lol....can't say i've experienced that myself-but have you considered just using the finer textured vermiculite,and just covering the eggs about half to 2/3 the way with it,and perhaps also covering them loosely with sphagnum?i doubt just having the eggs sticking to the bottom of the box would be detrimental.good luck!
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

You can eliminate this problem by simply using a liner on the bottom of the nest box.. I use a piec of plastic bag.. or wax paper... If the eggs stick you just cut around the pile with scissors.