Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had to throw out another egg because it had gone bad (I've got about 5 left). Out of curiosity, I decided to cut it open before throwing it out. To my huge surprise, the egg contained blood vessels and an EMBRYO! I could make out the head, the eyes, the little arms, little legs, and even a tiny little tail! It's too bad this little fella won't make it but hopefully his brothers and sisters will! Ra did it!! He is a father! My virgin boy ain't a virgin no more!

I'll see if I can get a good pic of it. Don't worry, when I post it, I'll give a warning ahead of time that it is graphic.
-----
1.1 Mali Uromastyx (Ra and Isis)
1.1 Satanic Leaftail Geckos (Diablo and Samael)

This is what the egg looked like when I cut it open. The embryo is in a little sack of clear fluid (probably amnionic fluid) and it is curled around on itself. The embryo had no heartbeat (the heart was clearly visible through the transluscent skin).

-----
1.1 Mali Uromastyx (Ra and Isis)
1.1 Satanic Leaftail Geckos (Diablo and Samael)

This is after I cut the sack open and released the embryo. Note the little arms, legs, and tail. The head and eyes look huge.

-----
1.1 Mali Uromastyx (Ra and Isis)
1.1 Satanic Leaftail Geckos (Diablo and Samael)

Here's a different angle to get a better look at the appendages. I feel really bad losing all those eggs and feel even worse about losing this one. I'm glad to know that the eggs that are left still have a chance to develop into healthy baby uros. If they do hatch and survive beyond babyhood, I'll have to sell them if I have more than one.

Oh, and congrats on the collard babies, Vonnie!

-----
1.1 Mali Uromastyx (Ra and Isis)
1.1 Satanic Leaftail Geckos (Diablo and Samael)

Sunfox,

I am curious as to why you thought this egg was beyond hope.

From the first photo, it does not appear that the eggshell looked all that bad. I did not see any obvious green/blue mold or yellow discoloration such as what I would expect with an egg that is no longer viable.

As I previously recommended in another post- unless an egg is putting off offensive odor and is discolored to the point of looking disgustingly hopeless or in the process of disinigrating- I would leave it be.

If you absolutely think the egg is beyond hope then discard it but if you have any doubt- I would suggest leaving it or moving it to another chamber within the same incubator.

I figured the eggs were infertile to begin with but I thought I should incubate them anyway. The odds were 1 in a million that they were fertile, this has been the luckiest I've ever been in my life.
Thank you very much for your input as I am totally new to this whole egg thing. I missed digging up several of the eggs, a really big mistake on my part. Thanks to your and other people's advice, I learned not to get the turbofan model incubator, to use perlite instead of vermiculite, and to not move or touch the eggs unless absolutely necessary.
The eggs that I removed and discarded had decomposed to the point where there was mold growing on them. I'm happy to say that the mold did not spread to the good eggs. All of the eggs didn't have any distinctive red spots on them, that's why I thought they were probably infertile. I'm glad I went with my gut instinct to incubate them anyway (this at least proves to hubby that I wasn't crazy in buying an incubator on laying day).

Thanks for all your advice, and if I get little ones, I'll post a ton of pics, promise.
-----
1.1 Mali Uromastyx (Ra and Isis)
1.1 Satanic Leaftail Geckos (Diablo and Samael)

If you are so curious as to the health of the growing embryo, I use a small flashlight to candle the eggs. DON'T pick up the eggs all you have to do is shine the flashlight close to each one. You will clearly see the blood vessels and the embryo, if it is alive you will actually see the heart beating(depending on what stage of developement they are at.)this is a wonderful and harmless way of keeping track of fetal developement.
-----
1.1 U.maliensis
2.1 U.geyri
1.1 U ornatus
0.1 U. macfadyeni

I'm sorry for your loss, but the pictures were very interesting. Thank you for sharing those with us.

matter what it looks like unless its obiviously spoiled and smells.

Shame that lil guy did not make it!

Hope the rest do
-----
PHEve/ Eve

Contact PHEve

Glad you're so forgiving. I feel really bad about that little guy (or girl, I couldn't tell). Too bad I had to learn this the hard way. I just hope nobody else makes the same mistake I did. The other 4 eggs look great. I wonder if the sand coating it is actually helping to keep them healthy? The perlite is working out very well and the incubator is keeping temp well.
How long is the actual incubation period? On Doug Dix's site, he claims 60 to 70 days, but I think I've seen 55 to 65 days. Which one is correct?

Thanks
-----
1.1 Mali Uromastyx (Ra and Isis)
1.1 Satanic Leaftail Geckos (Diablo and Samael)

I agree with Debb 100%. Never throw anything out unless it is really foul. You can always move it if you feel uncomfortable about it. As far as incubation goes, again, they will hatch when they are ready. I was told 110 days for the monitor eggs and they hatched at 88 and 92 days. Just leave them and hopefully you will have babies soon. Best of luck with them. No matter what, you have learned a few things...you do have a pair that can provide you with fertile eggs and don't throw anything out unless absolutely necessary. We'll all be waiting for baby pics.

Pam