Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Bettaleos had posted a question about cracking hard shelled eggs cracking during removal from enclosure. A few weeks ago while collecting some P. androyensis eggs, I cracked one. I could not tell from looking through the bottom of the enclosure that it was stuck, so I proceeded to scoop it out with a plastic spoon. The pea sized egg cracked and collapsed. I expected the female to lay the second within a day, so I cleaned the enclosure and put a layer of Glad's plastic wrap on the bottom, then the substrate. I am sure a number of other things could work, but the plastic wrap still allowed good visibility. The second egg was laid and was removed with a light nudge. It had a tiny flat spot , but was totally intact (the flat spot was not stuck to bottom). If it does not free from the plastic wrap, which it should, an X-acto knife or other razor could be used to cut the wrap around the egg. I am anal about this, but I mark eggs even before attempting to remove them. If you're feeling clumsy, it can wait, you never know how easily that one will break.
Ashton

For several reasons I from time to time remove Tokay (and other Gekko )eggs from the cage for incubation in a controlled environment. Even though there are some nice tricks to avoid cracking, I here and then end with eggs missind a fourth or more of the outer shell. As long as the inner membrane is intact, these eggs can be successfully incubated but need very high humidity. You can nicely see the embryo developing in such eggs, but theres high risk of premature hatching if you disturb the embryos at later stages of development.

Ci@o

Ingo

Hi Ashton,

I have actually taken to excavating the little eggs with a small paintbrush, because digging them out with my fingers was not working at all. I also wanted to let you know that I tried your repair method with the piece of plastic and the antibiotic ointment on a bastardi egg, and so far so good... last time I held the container up to light I saw veins. I have also gotten several good uncracked eggs from them since then. Still waiting on my androyensis to start breeding. How easy is it to tell gravidity in those females, with them being so very tiny? good luck with yours!
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?.?.? Leopard Geckos (eggs incubating)
1.1.1 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
2.5 Paroedura picta(eggsincubating)
1.1 Paroedura bastardi(eggs incubating)
1.1 Paroedura androyensis
1.1 Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
1.1 Cyrtodactylus irianjayensis
1.1 Gekko gecko
1.1 Pachydactylus turneri
1.1 Uroplatus henkeli
0.0.1 Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus
1.2 Teratolepis fasciata

Snakes
1.0 Blizzard Corn
1.0 Christmas corn
1.2 Reverse Okeetee corn (1 tang)
1.0 Ball Python

If an androyensis female is gravid it will be very obvious. Their eggs are usually not located near the rear legs, but moreso midway between the front and back legs. They almost look like bulbous tumors and a halfway profile can be seen. Sometimes the eggs are on the same side of the body (maybe just that female). You can also see the white of the egg. Keep up the calcium for sure! I use a small brush also; dinosaurs! Use a spoon to scoop them out. Do you have a photo of your bastardi? I have the Southeastern form (unsure of subspecies). Thanks, the androyensis are doing great. I have 3 bloodlines. If you need any extra help with breeding them, you can email me.
Ashton

Ashton,

Okay, thanks. My androyensis are definately not gravid then. I just have a single pair right now, but I'd be very interested in getting a pair from another bloodline. I'm honestly really not sure which subspecies of bastardi I have either - I have a very poor pic of them, but I'm going to try to get a better one. I'm looking for another bloodline of them too. I love mine - they're very neat little geckos indeed. By the way, do you keep Viper tails? Do you handle their eggs the same way? Take care!
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?.?.? Leopard Geckos (eggs incubating)
1.1.1 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
2.5 Paroedura picta(eggsincubating)
1.1 Paroedura picta (Xanthic/Amel)
1.1 Paroedura bastardi(eggs incubating)
1.1 Paroedura androyensis
1.1 Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
1.1 Cyrtodactylus irianjayensis
1.1 Gekko gecko
1.1 Pachydactylus turneri
1.1 Uroplatus henkeli
0.0.1 Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus
1.2 Teratolepis fasciata

Snakes
1.0 Blizzard Corn
1.0 Christmas corn
1.2 Reverse Okeetee corn (1 tang)
1.0 Ball Python

I only have 1.2 T. fasciata and I have not gotten any eggs from them yet. They all just reached 3 inches and seemingly have slowed down in terms of growth, so I may set them up together in a few weeks. Here is an example of the bastardi I am working with. This is a bad pic of a juvenile...
Ashton

I have what were sold to me as 1.2 T. fasciata also, but I'm still unsure of sex - they all look like males to me! They're about 2.25 inches from nose to tail tip right now. And woah, your bastardi looks way different than my pair - I'd have to say different subspecies for sure. I included a bad pic of my pair - sorry for the fuzziness. Let me know what you think!

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?.?.? Leopard Geckos (eggs incubating)
1.1.1 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
2.5 Paroedura picta(eggsincubating)
1.1 Paroedura picta (Xanthic/Amel)
1.1 Paroedura bastardi(eggs incubating)
1.1 Paroedura androyensis
1.1 Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
1.1 Cyrtodactylus irianjayensis
1.1 Gekko gecko
1.1 Pachydactylus turneri
1.1 Uroplatus henkeli
0.0.1 Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus
1.2 Teratolepis fasciata

Snakes
1.0 Blizzard Corn
1.0 Christmas corn
1.2 Reverse Okeetee corn (1 tang)
1.0 Ball Python

And here's anoher similarly bad pic of my androyensis pair on side of a thumbtack.

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?.?.? Leopard Geckos (eggs incubating)
1.1.1 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
2.5 Paroedura picta(eggsincubating)
1.1 Paroedura picta (Xanthic/Amel)
1.1 Paroedura bastardi(eggs incubating)
1.1 Paroedura androyensis
1.1 Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
1.1 Cyrtodactylus irianjayensis
1.1 Gekko gecko
1.1 Pachydactylus turneri
1.1 Uroplatus henkeli
0.0.1 Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus
1.2 Teratolepis fasciata

Snakes
1.0 Blizzard Corn
1.0 Christmas corn
1.2 Reverse Okeetee corn (1 tang)
1.0 Ball Python