Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What temp to you incubate, and do you incubate in a medium different than the moist sand you use for nesting box, or do you leave them? I guess I am assuming you dig them up and incubate separately? temps and medium would be very helpful, please.
Thanks,
Jeff
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1.0 pastel ball python
0.1 mojave ball python
0.1 normal ball python
0.2 3-toed box turtles
2.3 eastern box turtles
0.0.5 3-striped mud turtle
1.0 northern diamondback terrapin
2.1 tiger salamander
1.1 red-sided garter
1.0 anerythristic red-sided garter
1.1 Iowa snow plains garter
1.1 Het butter stripe cornsnake
0.1 anerythristic motley cornsnake

The substrate that I use is vermiculite or vermiculite mixed with some sand, relatively dry (soak the vermiculite in water, then press all the moisture out). The eggs are in small containers with only a few small holes for some ventilation (but not too much or the substrate will dry out too quickly). I incubate at temps between 25-30oC (77-86F): lower (around 25oC) for males, higher temperatures produce females. Lower temp eggs take many months to hatch (a clutch from October is still developing), whereas at 29oC they take roughly 100-120 days.
K. baurii incubation is really easy, temperatures don't need to be too stable, just make sure the eggs are in neither too wet a substrate, nor too dry. I have near 100% hatching rates, with the first clutches of 2008 already incubating.
Good luck if you have eggs!

Thank you very much for the reply, that helps a great deal. I do not have eggs, but they have been breeding the last couple weeks. How do you dig up the eggs after they are laid in the sand? I was thinking about using a plastic tub with sand in it as a nest box that I could just swap out with another one and put the whole thing in the incubator once eggs are laid, because I was wondering how you would dig up those little eggs without harming them. Also how many clutches do you get per year per female on average and how many eggs per clutch if you don't mind me asking so many questions. I have kept many different species of turtles, but these little guys are buy far one of my all time favorites so far, they have a ton of personality, I think they are very under-rated in the herp world.
Thanks for any additional info you can provide
Jeff
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Upon catching her breath she took a deep gulp and said,"you certainly have been blessed with an impressive set of regius's"
1.0 pastel Python regius
0.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
0.2 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
1.4 Kinosternon baurii
1.0 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.1 Ambystoma tigrinum
1.1 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.1 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
1.1 heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus

You can just dig the eggs up - you are unlikely to harm them as they are hard-shelled. Just put them back in the same position you found them in (or, if you find them within ~24 hours, in a different position) in a smaller container, with a pencil cross to mark the top (so you can put them back properly in case you would ever move them).
I have had 8 clutches from one female last year - a lot!! 4 from the other. They usually comprise 4 eggs, but I've had 2-5. They have started laying a month ago, second clutches are probably on their way!
Mind you: females will only lay in substrate that has the right humidity...if you see a female sitting on land a lot, try to humidify the substrate (or allow it to dry if it's too wet). The right humidity is hard to tell: te sand should just not collapse, which is the amount of moisture that is in the sand when you buy it bagged (at least in Holland ).
Hope that helps.

8 clutches, wow!!! that would be great. keeps you busy, when one clutch hatches at least another is being laid. I live in the state of Iowa in the US and the bags of sand are moist when you buy them as well, heavy. Thanks a ton for the info and wish me luck, I will try to take some pictures of any success I have and will keep you posted.
Thanks again and take care,
Jeff
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Upon catching her breath she took a deep gulp and said,"you certainly have been blessed with an impressive set of regius's"
1.0 pastel Python regius
0.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
0.2 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
1.4 Kinosternon baurii
1.0 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.1 Ambystoma tigrinum
1.1 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.1 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
1.1 heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus

Good luck! With a 1.4 group you should at least have some eggs