Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have 2 39-day old eggs that have been fertile, one dented in 4 days ago. We noticed a slit in the egg this afternoon, and have witnessed no movement.

Both eggs are also darker than any we've seen on any website. We are incubating in a homemade incubator with an outer tank, water, etc.

Is it possible that the vermiculite we are using made the eggs darker? And does anyone know what's happening to the egg with the slit?

Appreciate any help, this is our first time

hmm, I dont know. I dont want to tell you to cut the baby out, and then wind up killing it. But it has been known that babies will die before getting out of the egg completely.
What temp. was it incubating at? And im assuming the baby made the slit itself? hmmm.
If high temps, it could very well be ready to hatch...but give it time to do it on its own, which is always the best way to go.
This would be a hard decision to make, if it were me. Whether to cut the baby out and risk it being premature, or accidently cutting into the yolk sack, or let it hatch itself, risking it dying in the egg.

I think Marcia should comment on this one, ill leave this to her. I dont want to tell you to cut it out, and possibly kill it.

More experienced breeders should be along shortly.

IMHO...id let it be for atleast a few more hours. But thats just me.

~Crystal
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Crystal Light (Yes..that's my real name)
&
Dusty Windom (Yeap..that's my real name, too)

*Whenever you lose a gecko, just think of it as God building on his own Leopard Gecko collection

The Gecko Barn

THANKS FOR REPLYING SO QUICK- THE TEMP'S BEEN AROUND 88. HOW LONG SHOULD WE WAIT? IF THERE IS ANYWAY TO SAVE THE BABY, WE'LL DO IT.

either way, its a risk. At 88 it may be ready to hatch...but it also may NOT. I have never had a baby take longer than 3 hours to hatch. Although I had one deformed baby take about 6 hours, and I wound up cutting her out. She died a few days later due to her extreme deformaties. She was incubated at 88-89, although I cant remember how long she incubated.

I honestly dont want to tell you what to do, but id definitely give the baby somemore time to hatch on its own, this is always the best way. And if you feel you need to cut it out after you give it ample time...then thats up to you. But just be warned...its a risk either way!

Please wait to get somemore opinions on this before you do anything. 39 days is around minimum even for the highest temps.

~Crystal
-----
Crystal Light (Yes..that's my real name)
&
Dusty Windom (Yeap..that's my real name, too)

*Whenever you lose a gecko, just think of it as God building on his own Leopard Gecko collection

The Gecko Barn

np
-----
Crystal Light (Yes..that's my real name)
&
Dusty Windom (Yeap..that's my real name, too)

*Whenever you lose a gecko, just think of it as God building on his own Leopard Gecko collection

The Gecko Barn

One more question, the slit is a perfect line, if the baby didn't make it, what else could it be from. Thanks again and sorry about the caps-didn't know

I had a little female pip the egg last week. Noticed it at about 10pm saw movement and all. Then at 7am when I checked it hadnt hatched yet and when I touched it there was no movement...needless to say she had died Dont know why she was perfectly formed, just couldnt get out I suppose.

if a baby cannot make it out of the egg on it's own I don't mess with it. It is either to weak or something is not in place right you do not want to encourage this as any kind of trait. Could just be a bad thing they usually are weak and unhealthy if you have to help them out. Let fate be it's course in hatching. It is a hard thing to do but I have seen quite a few be never right after being cut out or helped. Up to you though it was always a hard thing to do after waiting so long. The first or the 1000th it is always a outstanding event to see those babies hatch.