Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I got two clutches from about 3 weeks ago. From the top they look fine with a few dimples. I lifted the eggs up today for the first time and noticed that all the eggs had serious dents in the bottom. They look like upside down bowls. All of one clutch did this (and this is the clutch I got egg by egg as the female laid them) and is happening a bit to the other (some of those eggs have small dimples but some are still fat.

What happened? All had nice veins from the beginning, are incubating in a large ice chest at 89 to 90 degrees, water bowls are over the heating elements to keep humidity high. The eggs are in 6qt bins with 4 inches of vermiculite (wetted and squeezed out water routine) and a tiny amount of perlite mixed on top.

Can anybody help me figure out why these tanked? Thanks.
Ross

Check humidity inside egg box?Sounds like humidity is low,or too much vents holes on egg box.Hope this helps.

I know for all appearances it may LOOK like there is enough humidity, but were you actually measuring it? And where precisely were you measuring it?

What kind of egg boxes were you using?
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25 year old 0.1 from Lincoln, NE
Ball Pythons - 0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly, 2.1 Normals
Kingsnakes - 1.0 L. m. thayeri, 0.1 L. m. thayeri X L. alterna, 1.0 L. g. californiae
Other - 0.1 Whitesided P. catenifer sayi, 1.0 H. nascicus, ?.? Chrysemys picta, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

No I was not measuring it. It seemed plenty humid but it looks like measuring it would have been a big help.

I have since taken the fan out of the incubator (think it was just too strong) and mixed more water in with the vermiculite in the container with eggs that I think might still have a chance.

I was using 6qt shoeboxes with 3 or more inches of damp vermiculite and a small cup of water in the bins.

In the end I think it was a humidity issue. Thank you both for responding. Hope these last couple eggs will hold out for me with the modifications.

Did you have the boxes sealed?
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John Vandegrift

What was the purpose of the perlite sprinkled on top? Presentation?

Were the eggs just sitting on top of the hatching substrate? I use vermiculite too but tend to bury at least 1/3 to 1/2 of the egg in the substrate. I also noticed you said the temps were 89-90. That seems a little high, I keep my temps at 87-87.5. You should also get a humidity gage so you arent guessing. Most of my eggs hatch at day 58-60 on their own. Everyone has their own unique way of incubating but this is what has worked for me. good luck

Thanks. All the sources I can remember said 89 but will definately turn it down. I like incubating on the lower end of the spectrum.

i am glad this helped a little. i just have found that a degree or two lower caused my babies to cook longer and therefor absorb more yolk and hatch bigger. 89 is the temp most use or know but personally i use the lower temps with great success. good luck.