Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone. Waited 4 years, fed my western hogs slowly and made sure she was good wieght (300 g). She just laid today (I got a late start due to hurricanes killing my house in the fall). I've been researching for the whole 4 years preparing and now I have 8 good large heavy fertile eggs, one that might or might not and 2 slugs. I figure that's good for her first try. The only problem I have now is keeping the substrate humid. I used vermiculite and used the 0.8:1 water to vermiculite ratio. The eggs (sans 2 slugs) are sealed away in my incubator which ranges throughout the day from 79.8-83.4 for my record lows and highs. I've been dry running my incubator for a month now.
What can I say, I'm paranoid after I miscalculated my gopher's lay time by two weeks and I killed 9 big eggs (didn't have an egg laying chamber in there yet), no slugs. I could have cried.
Sorry if this is scatter brained but I have tons of questions and I'm riding on a serious high seeing all my little eggs. Oh, 5 of my fertile eggs are bound together, I researched and everyone seems to say just leave them in the bunch. I can't seperate them without ripping I think. If the container with egg should lose humidity, what should I do? Also, as I near hatch time should I leave the lid off so when the neonates arrive they are ok and don't smother? Also, I have the eggs half covered with vermiculite so they can breathe. Is this correct or should I cover them completely? Sorry for the length, but like I said, I'm paranoid. Can't wait to see if they come out green phase like their father or high white like their mother, or both.
Thanks for all the help,
Aaron
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"Bones heal, chicks dig scars. Pain is temporary, glory is forever."
-Evil Knevel

half-buried is fine. Do NOT try to separate the eggs if they are stuck together.

>>"Bones heal, chicks dig scars. Pain is temporary, glory is forever."
>>-Evil Knevel

BTW, EK was an idiot. My knees are still killing me.
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Lindsay Pike
Urotopia Uromastyx