Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

_dave_ · Key Member Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 449 Location: Kent

hi guys

a friend of mine has got 6 royal eggs, he has got them at 88f and they seem ok, but the top ones are starting to dimple?? look like theyve been pinched slightly

could anyone advise if this is a problem and what the solution would be.

the vermiculite mix seems to be fine.

Dave

royalpython · Key Member Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 484

i cover mine up a bit in vermiculite, this seems to work fine with me.

or the humidity just isn't right and maybe escaping somewhere??

They start to dimple a week or so before pipping as well.
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_dave_ · Key Member Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 449 Location: Kent

the box is a 9l RUB and hasnt got any holes in it, the vermiculite mixture is still clumping and breaking away, maybe slightly a bit dry im not sure.

i advised him to lift the lid once a week just to let a slight bit of air in.

ill get him to move the vermiculite over the eggs a bit more, and see what happens with that.

oh the eggs are about a week old.

royalpython · Key Member Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 484

I have hatched out eggs in RUB's, and they work fine with poly boxes, but i noticed in a bigger incubator the humidity can escape through 9 L RUB's.

I'd try covering them up, here's a wee snap of how much i tend to cover them...

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mike h · CaptiveBred Addict! Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 778

My eggs last year dimpled early on so I changed most the vermiculite to a 60/40 ratio by weight which worked well. that is vermic to water prior to that it was probably 75/25.
also I kept the inside of the incubator very humid(polybox)
Its a balancing act.
I opened and checked on my eggs everyday with no problems.
Also they where part buried.

mike
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woodage · Contributing Member Joined: 10 Mar 2008 Posts: 162

Vermiculite needs to clump together when squeezed. I would open the tub every couple of days to allow air exchange. If the vermiculite is too dry then add some water around the edge of the container with a spray gun. DONT spray the eggs! Eggs will start to dimple a little around 10 days before hatching anyway. Good luck.