Question on Incubation Temps

[terradas]

I recently started breeding my grandis in the past month and already have a few eggs incubating. I only have one hovabator full of rhacodactylus eggs so rather than disturb those and change methods when they're all doing well, I decided to incubate my grandis eggs in a delicup inside the adult enclosure. Humidity is high and temps have been in the low to mid 80's (day and night) so this has seemed like an ok idea, although not perfect.

With the recent US hurricane, NY got a nice low pressure system in that brought the temperature way down to the low 70's this morning reminding me that the grandis eggs need to be moved before fall gets here. Am I ok to move the grandis eggs into the hovabator where temps are around 75? That sounds low for phelsuma incubation to me.

 

[daggekko]

Hey, I incubate my Phelsuma eggs at 81-83F. I've got a few right now that I found and have no clue how long they had been incubating in the enclosure. I'll let you know sometime soon if they hatch!

I have seen breeders keep eggs in the enclosure and incubate at whatever temps are at the laying spot. I have heard of some keepers incubating them at a warmer temp during the day and up to a 10 degree drop at night as well. I have heard a couple of the members say that lower temps = longer incubation time. If the eggs don't hatch when your expecting i would continue to wait as long as they look good still. Hope this helps

 

[terradas]

Thanks, I suppose my real question got lost in that muddled mess. I'm looking for the lower temp threshold that phelsuma eggs can be incubated at.

I'd expect low temps to take longer, I just want to make sure incubating them at 75 won't outright kill the embryo.

 

[daggekko]

I don't know the answer to how cold the eggs can survive. You probably figured that out though. Jon at giantdaygecko.com might have that answer though. I'm sure someone else on here does too. If nobody does yOu could do a few trials to find out! I know nobody really wants to throw out the work put into keeping and breeding but as long as nothing happens to your pair you'll get a bunch of eggs:biggrin: anyhow!

 

[lauraleellbp]

Is the consensus that most Phelsuma breeders incubate in the low 80s, or do people incubate at room temp (70s) with much success?

I'm starting to make plans to get and try my hand at breeding some within the next 6 mos or so, and am wondering if I should plan to get a separate incubator (I'll be incubating Crested eggs in the 68-72F range, which I assume would be much too cool for Phelsumas?)

I was hoping to be able to incubate the Phelsumas just at room temp, though...?

 

[daggekko]

I have incubated and hatched eggs sitting on top of one of my gecko enclosures during winter. I heated my room but it still was mid to low 70's at night. Try to find a spot in your room that heats to about 81 during the day and drops only a little at night. Or if your crafty you can make another incubator. I turned a mini-fridge into one. I have a Zoomed Repti Temp 500R and heat tape giving me the warmth I need. I have heard mixed reviews about the Repti Temp but all I know is that my F range goes from close to 81 up to about 83 or 83.5. Close enough for me!

As far as the temperature range goes, I have seen a lot of Phelsuma breeders use low 80's as a standard. Usually about 81. Some species eggs do better with nighttime drops down to about 74-76. I'd imagine all of the eggs could handle this quite well. I have only heard of one person incubating in mid 70's for the whole incubation period. His babies took a lot longer to hatch that expected.

 

[Sgvreptiles]

I incubate alot at room temp. Actually all of them, Day time highs of 80-90f and nights of 65-70f.They do fine with this.

 

[terradas]

I incubate alot at room temp. Actually all of them, Day time highs of 80-90f and nights of 65-70f.They do fine with this.

Awesome, just what I needed to hear!

This will work this year, but I'll grab another hovabator for next season.

 

[terradas]

Is the consensus that most Phelsuma breeders incubate in the low 80s, or do people incubate at room temp (70s) with much success?

I'm starting to make plans to get and try my hand at breeding some within the next 6 mos or so, and am wondering if I should plan to get a separate incubator (I'll be incubating Crested eggs in the 68-72F range, which I assume would be much too cool for Phelsumas?)

I was hoping to be able to incubate the Phelsumas just at room temp, though...?

Phelsuma tend to be temperature sex dependent so lower temps in the high 70's and lower 80's give you more female, upper 80's and lower 90's give you more males and in the middle a decent mix of both. I've heard stories about phelsuma breeders incubating at room temp, but it doesn't seem to be standard practice like with rhacodactylus.

I still wouldn't breed phelsuma at as low temps as rhacs and that's why I was hesitant about mid-70's.

 

[daggekko]

Jeff, do you get a good mix of boys and girls with those incubation temperatures/changes? I only know the sex of one of my 7 baby geckos and it is female, but i believe a few of them probably are.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Sounds like I'll need to set up the incubation container right next to the Phelsuma enclosure if the temps need to get that high. I think I should be make it work as long as a nighttime drop into the mid 70s is OK.

Thanks!

 

[Sgvreptiles]

Jeff, do you get a good mix of boys and girls with those incubation temperatures/changes? I only know the sex of one of my 7 baby geckos and it is female, but i believe a few of them probably are.

Most of my geckos have been equally sexed. Of the 4 modesta i sold earlier in the year ended up being a 2.2. I have 6 klemmeri incubated at different temps so im interested to see what they turn out to be. And well see how my borbonica and cepediana fair as they have been getting room temp fluctuations. Ive heard the fluctuating day and night temps help create more equal sex ratios esp among the Mauritian species. Also have 4 parkeri eggs with lower temps for hopes of heavier females.

 

[dakinecornell]

I would say by experience Jeff has been mastering his craft of creating males and females of almost every species he breeds. He has a gift with phelsuma and a green thumb!:rofl:

 

[terradas]

This is all good to know, thanks for putting my mind at ease. Now I have a new question. I haven't incubated hard-shelled eggs ever. It's always been leos and rhacs and softies are very expressive in that they deflate when you need to increase humidity and mold over when they are no longer viable. So how do you know when a phelsuma egg has gone bad?

Mine are still looking good, they're pink (when candled) and I can see the blood vessels. I still can't see the shape of a developing embryo after a few weeks so I'm just trying to figure out these guys...

 

[Sgvreptiles]

I have found humidity to not be too much of an issue. The eggs are pretty well sealed and dont gain TOO much water(they do absorbed moisture through the egg shell). I put all my eggs in a large (8inch) deli cup filled with peat moss and then add a smaller deli cup inside with dry vermiculite and set the eggs on there. I soak the substrate about once a month.

If eggs are bad they will be yellow. Life is pink. So just wait for them to hatch, if there in there for 2-3 months longer then they should, then they are dits.

 

[daggekko]

Inside the caps is dry vermiculite. Inside the container is wet(but not dripping wet) vermiculite. I make sure to open the lid every couple days for some fresh air.