Need tips on incubation

[GeckoGirl16]

I have only had one clutch of eggs so far but am expecting more from two Leos but the eggs I have right now don’t look to well. I have one that is very squishy and the other is the right texture but both have huge dents in them. I am hoping to have girls so I am incubating the eggs at 80 degrees. I have to get rid of my male so this breeding season will be my only chance for babies. I would really appreciate advice from anyone who is willing to give it!

 

[acpart]

It's hard to give advice without knowing how you're doing it, so if you provide some details we will be able to comment. In general the most important issues are:
--high quality thermostat so the temperatures are stable (it would be good to know what kind of incubator you're using)
--appropriate amount of moisture in the egg containers

Remember that even if the incubation is perfect, if the eggs aren't fertile, or if the embryos for some reason are not viable, they won't hatch. First time females often produce clutches that don't hatch initially.

Aliza

 

[GeckoGirl16]

Well I am using a homemade incubator with ripped up paper towel substrate as my family strictly told me not to spend too much money because if they hatch I would hold only be able to keep one and it had to be a girl. I am incubating the eggs at 80 degrees in hope of girls and I am spraying the paper towels ten times in the morning and ten times at night because at those times I start to noticed that the paper towels have gotten a little dry. This was all thrown together yesterday as I was not expecting the same eggs but I was housing a male and two female Leos together. I am looking into how to set up the humidity at the moment. I will leave some pics.*The egg on the left is the one that is the right texture the one on the right is very squishy

Thanks for responding!

 

[GeckoGirl16]

Ok, so I just looked at my eggs and they have both increasingly harder and turned a brown color. I think it was because I accidentally turned the temperature up but I am not sure that that would cause that or if this is normal.They have also enmities a small odor and I have only had them for four days so I must be doing something wrong!

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Maybe Aliza will stop by later this evening.

Do you have a thermostat?

As Aliza mentions in post 2, you need a reliable thermostat. A thermostat is a necessity. It turns off the temperature at a pre-set temperature to keep the heat from cooking your eggs. I use Hydrofarm's Jump Start MTPRTC for my leopard gecko. Ipower also makes a thermostat.

Paper towels dry out too quickly or stay soggy. Your eggs need something like Hatch Rite to keep the humidity even.

https://hatchrite.com/​

Here's an article from Aliza's Gecko Time newsletter written in 2010 that may be helpful.

Beginner Breeder Basics: Comparing Incubation Mediums - Gecko Time - Gecko Time​

 

[acpart]

I can't provide complete incubation information in a thread but here are some basics (in addition to what I noted in my post above):
--please google "breeding leopard geckos" or "leopard gecko egg incubation" to get the basic information
--best substrate is either perlite (here's a link about how to prepare it:Albey's How To Incubate Leopard Gecko Eggs) or moist coco fiber. There are others as well, but these have been reliable for me
--eggs should be in a sealed gladware or tupperware container or equivalent. The container should be in the incubator. The container should be opened briefly once a week. There should be no need for frequent misting if this is done correctly
--As Elizabeth mentioned, I can't stress how important it is to have a decent thermometer (digital with probe) and a decent thermostat. If you can't afford this, you should be looking for someone in your community who can incubate these eggs for you

Aliza

 

[GeckoGirl16]

Thank you both! I will get vermiculite tomorrow for a substrate!


FYI: I can afford afford the things that are needed but have decide to try to keep it as cheap as possible and still have hatchlings because I will not get to keep them anyway AND I don’t need anyone to incubate my eggs for me. I can do it on my own.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

You're welcome!

Do you already have a thermostat?

 

[GeckoGirl16]

Yes but it is a cheap one because a thermostat is a thermostat and I through everything together in like an hour because I have housed a male with two females for a few months and had no intention of breeding them so I was not prepared at all but am ready to make adjustments!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Yes but it is a cheap one because a thermostat is a thermostat and I through everything together in like an hour because I have housed a male with two females for a few months and had no intention of breeding them so I was not prepared at all but am ready to make adjustments!

It's important to also have a digital thermometer with a probe to verify your thermostat's settings.

Zoo Med makes a yellow one that PetCos and other pet stores sell for about $10.

 

[Hilde]

That light fixture sitting on a plastic tub looks like a very unsafe setup. It's a possible fire hazard.

Also, if you have the hot light so close to paper towels, which you admit dry up, that could increase the chances of a fire. Even changing to vermiculite won't make it much safer, if the light is still sitting on the plastic tub, the cord dangling over the edge like that, and nothing to hold the lamp in place so it doesn't get knocked off.

 

[GeckoGirl16]

Do you have any suggestions for a some what cheap alternative???

 

[acpart]

If you google "DIY incubator" you will find some videos and other information with suggestions.

Aliza

 

[GeckoGirl16]

Ok thank you!