Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My friend gave me a clutch of about 20 spotted sal eggs 2 weeks ago. To my dismay, she had put them in "clean" tapwater and not their vernal pool water. The egg sac has since ruptured. Some of the eggs appear white and fuzzy, obviously gone bad, and I removed them, but a few look OK. But the good ones are turning whitish. Is this coloration normal, or are healthy embryos all-dark?
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*~Ginevive~*

>>My friend gave me a clutch of about 20 spotted sal eggs 2 weeks ago. To my dismay, she had put them in "clean" tapwater and not their vernal pool water. The egg sac has since ruptured. Some of the eggs appear white and fuzzy, obviously gone bad, and I removed them, but a few look OK. But the good ones are turning whitish. Is this coloration normal, or are healthy embryos all-dark?
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>>*~Ginevive~*

It sorta sounds like they are dead. The eggs start out white when laid and as the embryo develops their color over takes it hence the dark color. If they were dark and are now turning white, that is a bad sign. You could keep holding on to hope that some pull through but I doubt they will.

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Wyvern

Yes, I am sure they are dead. Luckily I still have a small spotted sal clutch of my own that never saw any tapwater. Those guys are developing great. Amazing the effect of incorrect water on sal eggs.
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*~Ginevive~*

Here is the question. Are the actual embryos inside the gel coating changing color or is the jelly changing color? Some populations of spotted salamanders have eggs coats that turn white under some enviromental conditions.
Ed

Actually it seems like the gelly in the egg is getting a fuzzy white color, it is hard to tell but the embryos seem to have a darkish spine with a very light belly.
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*~Ginevive~*