Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Very interesting stuff. The only thing I would caution on is "wiping off dirt" from the eggs; that could lead to some serious damage to the egg and developing embryo. I personally never mess with the eggs and most hatch out just fine...viable eggs even have abilities to ward off fungal infections. You run the risk of forgetting the proper placement of the egg back into the incubator. Otherwise, very interesting.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>I have been studying the connection between the calcium in the egg and the acidity or lack there of in the substrate since they would have to react. Milk snakes have been known to lay eggs under cow pies which would have acidity that would be off the chart. In addition to this I have always felt that the mucous coating on the egg acts as a catalyst for viability or interaction with the substrate. I was just sent a copy of this which is now supporting my theory.
>>Message: 1
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>> Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 22:46:31 0100
>>
>> From: "Henk Zwartepoorte"
>>
>>Subject: Re: chelodina incubation
>>
>>
>>
>>Dear Bill and Laura,
>>
>>Some thoughts.
>>
>>Of course I do not have all the answers to a lot of questions. Why many people do not completely cover up the eggs is I think purely because of curiosity. At the Rotterdam Zoo we also do so as we have to deal with the public; people do not like to see a number of incubators with boxes filled with vermiculite. Vermiculite indeed has the ability of containing the humidity from the bottom of the plastic container to the top, so the humidity around the eggs is equal.
>>
>>Behind the scenes and at home I completely cover up the eggs and I touch them as little as possible. If they are fertile they will hatch. Freshwater turtles luckily have the white spot and band when they are fertile and fertile tortoise eggs are white.
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>>But in some cases it is good to know whether the ambryo is still alive making it possible to open eggs or not on the right moment.
>>
>>For some species we often use a mixture of vermiculite and damp peat raising the PH value. What I think is also important is not to wash the eggs before putting them into vermiculite. At Rotterdam Zoo we once washed and desinfected all reptile eggs during one season in the early eighties and we hardly had any hatchling then. Since then we just whipe off the worst dirt and incubate them as they are laid by the female. I think allthough I of course cannot prove that the mucus on the eggs is a somewhat protecting layer against infections.
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>>we still have a lot to learn.
>>
>>My best. Henk.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>> From: WILLIAM MULLEN
>>
>> To: Turtle_Survival_Alliance@yahoogroups.com
>>
>> Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 1:25 AM
>>
>> Subject: Re: [Turtle_Survival_Alliance] chelodina incubation
>>-----
>>"Life without risk is to merely exist."
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

i don't mess with snake or lizard eggs, but with my russian tortoises, which lay in outdoor enclosures, i have been washing the eggs since 1998 and i get great hatch rates.

a study out of the former soviet union (from the 1970s) showed that the albumen of this species has antimicrobial activity.

one of the turtle farms in LA, which ships red-ear eggs all over also washes their turtle eggs. i don't know whether they do this because of better hatch rates, nor do i know what type of substrate the females lay in (probably sand and not soil).

matt

totally awesome information. thanks for sharing.

Thank you for the compliment. Year before last I hatched Coachwhip,Carper Python,Grey Banded Kingsnake, Trans Pecos Ratsnake, Spilotes, Parrot Snakes, Box and Pond Turtles in coconut husk with perfect results. Three times unfertilized eggs went full term without puckering.
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."