Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is the proper temperature range for incubating Sceloporus occidentalis eggs?
How long will it take them to incubate and hatch?
Is the gender temperature sensitive; i.e. Ecologist Alexander Quinn of the University of Canberra in Australia and his colleagues incubated bearded lizard eggs at a range of temperatures. Much like some birds, the genetics of bearded lizards' gender are the reverse of humans: Females have two different sex chromosomes (called Z and W) and males bear two of the same (Z). Between temperatures of 22 degrees C (72 degrees F) and 32 degrees C (90 degrees F), the eggs hatched an equivalent number of males and females. But once temperatures climbed above 34 degrees C (93 degrees F), the majority of hatchlings were female.
Different species and temperature range, same principle?

80/82F 30/60 days is fairly neutral. I am fairly sure there sex is temp dependant.
Foot Hill Reptiles

Gravid adult female Sceloporus occidentalis (Phrynosomatidae) were collected near Pinecrest, California during June and July of 1997. Females were maintained on a mixture of moistened sand and peat moss until egg deposition. Eggs were weighed and placed in small plastic cups filled with a sand/peat mixture and incubated at 27C until hatching. The specimen used in this study hatched on July 31 after 44 days incubation. Live mass was 0.6g.
(80.6 fahrenheit)
What I found out researching this topic. My female laid her eggs July 3 and I have been incubating them at about 80.5 F. She is in a big pen with her long time mate, and I am hoping they may produce another clutch for this season.
This is my favorite lizard, of all the many species both tame and wild!

An update on my western fence lizard eggs: of the 8 eggs she laid, 2 look a little like they may be duds; i.e. small and yellow, but the other 6 are in great shape. When I shine the flashlight on them I can see the developing embryos. The temperature in the incubator (homemade) is holding steady at 80 fahrenheit + or -. During the heat of the day I put a cold pac in the incubator, so the thermostat can work with that to keep the temps from going too high. This has saved the day during our recent heat wave. About three weeks before the earliest estimated hatch date I will commence breeding up a colony of pinhead crickets for the babies.
If this all goes well and I get babies, I will share photos of the incubator and the results with the forum. I am thinking they are due about mid August at the earliest.