Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For some reason, all my pictus eggs are cracking after being in the incubator for a month and a half or so. I had one do this and go bad, but it was the female's first eggs, so I figured it was a first-timer problem. I have tried high humidity and low humidity, but they seem to crack either way. I have some that have been cracked for a few weeks but are still doing well due to me keeping them humid. So what's the deal? The females are well supplemented. And my P. bastardi eggs are having no problem. All are being incubate in Perlite. So what gives? Thanks for any advice!
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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
1.2 Teratolepis fasciata

Snakes
1.0 Ball Python
2.5 Corns of various morphs

Most picta I have hatched, did so, almost exactly at one month and two weeks of incubation. This may be a stupid question, but were the eggs empty? Okay past that. When you originally found the eggs, were they smooth or did they have an unusual texture? Also, the humidity may have been too low and too high and the fluctuation could have dried out or "drown" the egg. It is really hard to say. Is there a chance they are/were infertile? Make sure the shells dry out well before they are introduced into a high-humidity location. If they had not dried out correctly before being in a moist area, the bond between molecules in the shell maybe be weak or deteriorated. If the humidity dropped sufficently low the egg would crack. I am no physicist, but these were just a few possibilities I could think of. Here is a pic of my method of incubating hard-shelled eggs that require high humidity (70% and up). One "X" is cut out of the plastic "mesh" (I think the mesh may be used for knitting) and an egg is placed in them so that they do not roll. This way, you do not have to worry about the eggs having trouble respirating. It just adds humidity to the air and just does not saturate the shell. I use a 3:2 ratio of sphagnum peat moss:vermiculite. The temperature I incubate at is 83 and the humidity stays 70% and above. Have you tried a dish of water with pebbles in it (my paranoia of the babies drowning) for the primary source of humidity? Whatever you try, keep good ventilation. Hope this helps, I am a little perplexed.
Ashton ...These are Hemidactylus mabouia eggs, but I incubate picta the same.

Hi Ashton,

I too am perplexed. The eggs are not empty, and were quite fertile. Thefirst one to crack actually had part ofthe yolk sac hanging out of it, with veins and all. Several days later it looked to have been absorbed - hopefully by the neonate. All the eggs that have cracked have showed/still are shoing veining and embryos (I'm not picking them up or handling them, so they weren't cracke dthat way). All the cracked eggs still seem to be good and are rapidly aproaching their hatch date. They are incubated a 82, but temps to fluctuate from 80-83. I mist them every other day, and humidity stays good. They were allowed to dry completely before being placed in the incubator. I too am puzzled. And the eggs are from 2 different females, so it's not just that particular female. I'm sort of at a loss - I hope they hatch though. I'll keep you updated. If you can think of anything else, let me know. Thanks so much for the help!!!
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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
1.2 Teratolepis fasciata

Snakes
1.0 Ball Python
2.5 Corns of various morphs