Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Scott W]

Been trying out 2 different incubation substrates, Vermiculite & Perlite. So far had good results on both. Just wondered what others use? also, what humidity levels? and Temps?

Has anyone any ideas for 'research', I am thinking about setting aside upto 50 eggs for any good research ideas.



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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

[Jackie]

I've used vermiculite for the past four years with ciliatus eggs. I've not had any problems with it - 100% success hatch rate. Auriculatus eggs on the other hand have been a nightmare. In total I've lost 8 auric babies when using vermiculite as the incubation medium. All the babies were fully formed but died in the egg. I found out what the problem was from having a chat (well PMs) with a European auriculatus breeder. The eggs absorb too much water when using vermiculite so when the babies start to hatch they drown - probably due to the hatching process being very tiring for them.

Following his advice I switched to perlite - as it's a lot more coarse that vermiculite it doesn't absorb as much water. The change resulted in me hatching my first auric this year..wahoo!! Sadly I only discovered the problem with one fertile egg left.

I've just put another pair of aurics together so (hopefully) I'll be able to confirm whether or not perlite is the key or it was just a fluke for me.
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Best wishes, Jackie

3:4 Eublepharis macularius
1:0 Gekko gecko
3:4:1 R. auriculatus
1:3 R. ciliatus
1:1 R. chahoua
1:1 R. leachianus henkeli

[goldenburm]

good luck jackie!!
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1.0 striped supersalmon DEAD
0.1 salmon poss TH moonglow DEAD
0.1 Orangasm DH ghost DEAD
1.0 pastel motley DEAD
2.0 sunglows 1.0 LIVING
1.1 pastel het snow 0.1 LIVING
2.2 albino boas DEAD
0.2 albino ara's DEAD
0.4 boa constrictors 0.2 LIVING

[LuckyLucy]

I have hatched a total of 22 babies from 4 females (currently 2 at 2 yrs and 2 at 18 months). However my cresties are set up in a naturalistic vivarium with soil, earthworms, millipedes and beetles with a leaf litter layer. All eggs have been laid in the tank and we've had to catch the babies as and when they hatch. It would be too distructive to digg out the eggs after laying. We saw our female laying once and she had dug almost to the bottom of the soil (20cm deep) and just had her nose sticking out! Anyway from the look of the babies I think only the two older females produced the viable young. All the babies are very vigorous and active by the time we spot and catch them. Unfortuanatley we can't say anything about hatch rate success.

On the research side of things it would be interesting to further investigate if there is any temperature dependent sex selection.

[Scott W]

That's a fantastic way to keep them Lucy, well done.

As for TDSD, that's a 9month research study....not sure if I have the patience , joking aside, I will be incubating eggs at differing temps and holding back all young, might try with the first 20 eggs next year.
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

[zarozinia]

I only started breeding mine last year and used vermiculite, left the tops of the eggs peeping out of it and covered them with kitchen towel, which was lightly sprayed as required. they were incubated at room temperature - commencing quite late in the year. Incubation times were around 90 - 106 days.
Then I moved in May, a few hundred miles south, plus the weather rapidly became hot and humid. All my eggs were failing. When laid they appeared to be fertile, but given a month - 6 weeks and they all just collapsed and dried up.
I changed incubation material to cocoa fibre and continued with incubating at room temperature and have started to have 100% success again, with 4 hatching at around 75 - 80 days within the last couple of weeks.

Im thinking of following up on the ones Ive sold too, and finding out what sex they are. I will let you know.

[Sonny Hynes]

Good luck all of ya! The results of this research certainly will be interesting. I have not yet got my first Crestie tho so i can't be of much help.