Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My eggs are both dented in and one is full of this fungus growing on it. I just threw them away. They were my first set of eggs so I'm not sure what to do. My temperature was at 80 degrees but my hygrometer read 90%. Is that to much humidity? Any help would be great!!!

Josh

well hmm..if they were the first eggs they may just have been infertile and it wasnt your falt. but i think 90 is probably a little high. i am actually not sure what the hummidty should be but i use vermiculite as the egg substrate. i just put a little bit of whater in with it and mix it very good until it is all slightly damp. i make two little holes to put the eggs in and then i leave the tops uncovered. i keep them in a deli cup and tape off all the holes except for two to allow breathing. i use a hova-bator and poor a little water in the bottom of it. so that the eggs can soak up whatever humidity that they want.

a good website to go to would be Albeys, they use pearlite but it tells you how to do it step by step. good luck.

You need to be sure that your water to substrate ratio is correct... 90% does seem to be a bit high... You also may want to up the temp as well... If it is your first year incubating, you want to keep your incubator in the center of the incubation range.. 85* is where you want it to be... You also need to remember that the egg container and substrate can be 1 to 2 degrees lower in temp than the actual incubator temp... So if the incubator temp reads 80 than the incubation substrate and ambient temp in the container might only be 78... Eggs have a higher chance of dieing or not developing if the temp is that low...

I use perlite as a substrate for incubation... I use a .8 to 1 ratio...

If you are using 100 grams of perlite in an incubation container you want to add 80 grams of water... This will keep your humidity at a good % and has never failed me...

It is also important that you use a good incubator... I am not crazy about the hovas so I build my own but if you use a hova, you should disconnect the waffer style thermostat and hook up a a proper thermostat... You also want to keep the hova in an area of the house where the temps are constant and do not fluctuate much...