finally got some fertile rangei eggs!

[Palex134]

she had these in her for a month to the day. I have the oven set to just under 30C, for my Phelsuma, so I think it should be ok.

I am doing 70-80% humidity.

Am I incubating these ok? Is that set up fine for the eggs? They are huge, all her slugs were so small, these are giants, I never knew she could throw out eggs like these! I am so excited!

 

[blanco]

Congratz!!
I'm happy for you!

 

[Palex134]

Blanco, did you set up your rangei eggs similar? is the dry sand ok with moist perlite?

I was incubating a geckolepis egg with sand like that, and the sand became moist, almost saturated. should i use more dry perlite instead of sand?

 

[Geckophile Admin]

You might want to drop the temp. down to get a better sex ratio. I incubate (on a shelf in the gecko room) the eggs on dry sand at 25-27°C and get a whole lot of girls. I always get a pretty even ratio when I keep them in the incubator at 28°C. Those eggs are well-formed. Good luck!

 

[Geckophile Admin]

BTW, there's really no need for the Perlite in the container. My containers are bone dry.

 

[Palex134]

Thanks Nate, this is one of your girls.


I will change my set up a bit. Thanks!

 

[Sgvreptiles]

Nice Job Peter. Hopes theres more were thouse came from!

 

[bilcher]

incubation temperature

Hi Nathan,

25 - 27° seems low to me. In my experience hatchlings are much stronger if the eggs were incubated at 30° and up. So far I cannot tell much about temperature dependent sex determination in rangeis, but last year I think I got more females with rather higher temperatures. I also incubate on a shelf in reptileroom, so unfortunately I do not have exact data about this. Do you think it is possible that females are produced with very low and with very hot temperatures? Or could it be that the sex of rangeis is not determined by incubation temperature?

best,

Steven

 

[Bonehead]

Everyone does it different. I keep my eggs on crushed pumice stone. They get humidity from a container of water I keep in the incubator. It usually stays between 50-60%. The temp is usually around 82-83 F, unless I put them in the other incubator, which is kept at 88F or so. I have found over the past few years that I've had more males out of the higher temps.

Paul

 

[Palex134]

Thanks both of you. I think it is in the low 80s, I have Ph. m. grandis and Ph. klemmeri in there as well. I took out most of the humidity from that container, so it should be around 60%.

How many days do your rangei eggs usually take? I am so eager for some little hatchlings.

 

[Bonehead]

Again, I'm sure you're going to get people that will give you different answers. Everyone does things differently, so results will vary. I started keeping these guys in 1997, with my original stock coming from Doug Price. I have had babies hatch in as little as 53 days and as long as 78 days. I think average would be around 65 days or so. Again, temps, humidity, and other factors will add or subtract from that, but you should have a good two months. Hope this helps.

Paul

 

[Geckophile Admin]

25 - 27° seems low to me.

Actually, the babies from those temps are nice and plump. All of the information I've given is from experience. I'm sure that people have different experiences with them. At the above temps, most of the babies have turned out to be female. I firmly believe that these guys are TSD.

 

[Geckophile Admin]

They are quite possibly Pattern II TSD, females produced at lower temps, males produced at intermediate-warm temps, and females again at higher temps. I've not incubated the eggs at 32+°C, so I can't confirm or deny that. I will say that I get a whole of girls at lower temps.

 

[Bonehead]

Nathan, I wouldn't dought it if that is true about this species. All of last years babies were sent off, I think they went overseas, so I don't know what the outcome of last years incubation was. This year I have some trades worked out, to better the lines as best I can, so it will be interesting to see what this year produces. I have two incubators sent up with the different ranges, so it will be interesting to see what this year brings.

Paul

 

[Palex134]

Thanks for the help everyone!

Bonehead, great picture, your rangei hatchlings are adorable.


Another question kinda on/off topic. Breeding females. what age/gram weight? I have a 7 gram virgin female who eats like a beast. I think she is around 9/10 months old. After seeing these hatchling shots, I think I may want to breed her now. Any advice? I have a feeling I should wait on this one.

 

[Bonehead]

Size wise, she sounds ready. My breeder females are 7-9 grams. I keep mine in groups of 1.2.

Paul

 

[Palex134]

after seeing the girl that just laid, I think I will get her up to 8 or 9. That girl that just laid looks nasty and skinny now, yet was huge before she laid. I guess it takes a lot out of them to produce those eggs, more so then ive seen in most other species ive bred.

 

[Geckophile Admin]

I guess it takes a lot out of them to produce those eggs, more so then ive seen in most other species ive bred.

Yes, but they bounce right back. In all of the years that I've worked with them, I've not had one female with any hypocalcemic issues, but I do regularly dust their prey with vitamins and calcium and give the girls a couple of drops of calcium glubionate every couple of weeks. I've found web-footed geckos to be one of the hardiest and fecund geckos in my collection.

 

[Palex134]

ok well this is my female now. Why does she have an egg, 2 days after laying? She looks so skinny now. I am going to offer her food every night now, instead of every other night.

 

[Palex134]

damn they lay often, she just dropped another nice pair of eggs!