Help.... Hatching Strophurus Spinigerus
- Thread starter monsterx
- Start date
Eggs
Using Perlite 1.1 ratio (water) Using a deli cup, no holes. opening lid at 30 days for air. at day 48 I am putting a hole in the lid, and opening the lid every other day. Eggs are turning clear at about 53-55 days then never hatching.
Thanks for your help.....Oh incubator temp is about 82 degrees.
Using Perlite 1.1 ratio (water) Using a deli cup, no holes. opening lid at 30 days for air. at day 48 I am putting a hole in the lid, and opening the lid every other day. Eggs are turning clear at about 53-55 days then never hatching.
Thanks for your help.....Oh incubator temp is about 82 degrees.
DDReptiles
New member
I would suggest using a slightly drier incubation medium, I use 1:0.9 (perlite:water) and it seems to work great for all my strophurus/diplo/nephurus eggs.
LarryLockard
New member
Nicolas- What is Seramis?
DDReptiles
New member
From a quick google search, it looks to be the same stuff marketed as "Superhatch" by Repsahy----those little ceramic hydroponic rocks.
Nicolas
New member
a very very very few water indeed, I only spray the Seramis before to put the eggs and check there is always a little little little bit "fog" on the boxes'walls. By the years I do incubate my soft shell eggs with the minimum humidity and have less "dead in the egg" gecko.
NB: Mat, how long was the incubation of your last taylori I have 4 eggs again (now 65 days at 27-30C)
NB: Mat, how long was the incubation of your last taylori I have 4 eggs again (now 65 days at 27-30C)
mat.si
Super Moderator
Hi Nicolas!
Thanks for the info. I've always incubated on vermiculite for the last 20+ years, but I've recently bought some Seramis and will be trying it out this year.
While eggs from some species (like elegans, splendens, ciliatus etc.) don't really seem to be very sensitive to the amount of humidity, some other eggs appear to be quite sensitive to very high humidity.
I'll have to check my notes for taylori and I'll send you a pm.
Regards, Matjaz
Thanks for the info. I've always incubated on vermiculite for the last 20+ years, but I've recently bought some Seramis and will be trying it out this year.
While eggs from some species (like elegans, splendens, ciliatus etc.) don't really seem to be very sensitive to the amount of humidity, some other eggs appear to be quite sensitive to very high humidity.
I'll have to check my notes for taylori and I'll send you a pm.
Regards, Matjaz
Nicolas
New member
More than 30 years ago before the easy access in Switzerland of vermiculite or perlite as incubation medium (ie without hydrocarbure addition), we used Leca balls ie argile hydroculture balls about 6-7 mm. But the Leca balls were instable and often rolled on the eggs distroying them, so we used Leca balls with a layer of sphagnum.
Seramis is used as mini Leca balls and I consider Seramis as an ideal incubation medium desesperatly waiting for a GOOD "free on mesh" incubating system :lol:
I really do not like vermiculite but it is only a personal position (nor perlite indeed) and I have lost lots of soft shell eggs by a dead in the egg phenomena (especially Strophurus and Nephrurus). Perhaps I do not know to use it and overhydrated this medium. Some friends are very happy with vermiculite for more than 25 years.
Seramis is used as mini Leca balls and I consider Seramis as an ideal incubation medium desesperatly waiting for a GOOD "free on mesh" incubating system :lol:
I really do not like vermiculite but it is only a personal position (nor perlite indeed) and I have lost lots of soft shell eggs by a dead in the egg phenomena (especially Strophurus and Nephrurus). Perhaps I do not know to use it and overhydrated this medium. Some friends are very happy with vermiculite for more than 25 years.
I've been using ceramic soil for about 12 years, wouldn't consider anything else. It's sold as Profile Aquatic Pond Soil, or Turface which is the same thing. SuperHatch is almost identical, you can't tell the two apart very readily. It's easy to tell if it needs water, the colour change is obvious.
Part of the advantage is that the particles are irregular in shape, they can't pack down and suffocate the eggs and there's no water logged mess either. Unless you have it in standing water, there's always airspace around the eggs and they can absorb just the amount of water they need. You can even bury the eggs completely keep them evenly humid, no worries about dry spots possibly affecting the shell. I've never had a problem with buried eggs, they hatch and the gecko finds his way up to the surface just like they do in the wild.
Part of the advantage is that the particles are irregular in shape, they can't pack down and suffocate the eggs and there's no water logged mess either. Unless you have it in standing water, there's always airspace around the eggs and they can absorb just the amount of water they need. You can even bury the eggs completely keep them evenly humid, no worries about dry spots possibly affecting the shell. I've never had a problem with buried eggs, they hatch and the gecko finds his way up to the surface just like they do in the wild.
Last edited:
mat.si
Super Moderator
I was basically always using vermiculite, because it was the only thing readily available over here and it was also rather cheap. I guess you have to use a bit of caution when adding water to vermiculite.
I never had any bigger problems with most soft shelled eggs in vermiculite. Hard shelled eggs are always put on bottle caps filled with dry sand and placed on top of vermiculite.
Hilde, your ceramic soil looks very similar to Seramis I found in Germany.
The color change when wet is a definite advantage over vermiculite.
How do you add water to it, or do you just spray it like Nicolas?
Regards, Matjaz
I never had any bigger problems with most soft shelled eggs in vermiculite. Hard shelled eggs are always put on bottle caps filled with dry sand and placed on top of vermiculite.
Hilde, your ceramic soil looks very similar to Seramis I found in Germany.
The color change when wet is a definite advantage over vermiculite.
How do you add water to it, or do you just spray it like Nicolas?
Regards, Matjaz
I just dump it in water and stir it a bit. When the bubbling stops, the microscopic pores are filled with water, and you can let it drain in a sieve or collander for a few minutes. It generally takes 10-15 minutes for it to finish dripping, and it's ready to use. I save time by preparing about a dozen incubation containers at a time since it doesn't dry out fast as long as it's covered.
During some long incubation times like cresties which can take 4 months, I might have to mist slightly along the edges of the container, but most of the time it's still moist enough to go without additional water.
During some long incubation times like cresties which can take 4 months, I might have to mist slightly along the edges of the container, but most of the time it's still moist enough to go without additional water.
mat.si
Super Moderator
Thanks.
I will experiment a little with this, to see what works best for me.
Just out of curiosity, how many holes (if any) do you put in the lid/sides?
Just like Nathan used to do, I make 6 small holes in the sides of the box with a pin (1-2 holes per side).
I usually have many boxes incubating and I simply can't afford to think about ventilating every single box at least once a week or so.
Matjaz
I will experiment a little with this, to see what works best for me.
Just out of curiosity, how many holes (if any) do you put in the lid/sides?
Just like Nathan used to do, I make 6 small holes in the sides of the box with a pin (1-2 holes per side).
I usually have many boxes incubating and I simply can't afford to think about ventilating every single box at least once a week or so.
Matjaz
Last edited:
I use 16 oz deli-cups and put 4 holes in the side with a darning needle, just below the top of the ceramic. I used to put the holes near the top edge, but find that it's more likely to allow any CO2 to 'ooze' out if it's near the top of the ceramic, so I don't even bother opening the lid for air exchange anymore. If I end up opening it to see if it needs water, then there is some air exchange, but that won't be until about 5-6 weeks into incubation, maybe longer.
If you're using the seramis, ceramic or superhatch, make sure it's drained enough so there's no water collecting at the bottom. That way you're dealing with humidity only, no direct water contact and no worries about drowning the eggs with too much water.
If you're using the seramis, ceramic or superhatch, make sure it's drained enough so there's no water collecting at the bottom. That way you're dealing with humidity only, no direct water contact and no worries about drowning the eggs with too much water.
Nicolas
New member
I use mini shoes boxes 18 X 10 X 8 with a 4-5 cm deep layer Seramis, about 12 large ie 3-4 mm holes on the top and 2 holes each sides. I use commercial air-incubators and since years be very happy with "high ventilation-low hygrometry incubation system".
In each box I can put about 20 Strophurus eggs easy.
But every breeder every system and the trading of ideas is always a way to knowledge.
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...7011-strophurus-ciliaris-aberrans-babies.html
In each box I can put about 20 Strophurus eggs easy.
But every breeder every system and the trading of ideas is always a way to knowledge.
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...7011-strophurus-ciliaris-aberrans-babies.html
Last edited:
MXWreptile
New member
Hi Nicolas,
we already had great success to incubate Nephrurus and Strophurus eggs in the new SIM incubation container. The 100% gas exchange and relative humidity level seems to be perfect for them.
Max