# crested gecko egg temperatures



## devg55 (Jun 7, 2011)

Hey guys, well I'm contemplating on breeding my cresties this season coming up. My geckos are at the right age and weight. i have an incubator, some hatch right all lined up. I intend on putting the male with the female around March time and introduce them gradually up till then. I know many people leave their eggs at 'room temperature'.

But anyway what I want to know is what are safe temps to incubate the eggs at, what are the boundries? am I right in thinking the lower the temp the longer the eggs will hatch and vice versa? also when i put them in an incubator (im getting the herp nursery 2) do i leave the eggs in a lidless box and open the incubator regularly to allow air flow or keep a lid on the box and let the fan do the job? 

Sorry for all that rambling but i wanna get it spot on.

Thanks, Dev.


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

Hiya. I'm also breeding this coming season. I plan on leaving my eggs on a shelf, in incubation media, and letting them incubate at room temp. I just think this is a better method as the geckos can grow at their own rate, and I personally don't mind waiting a bit longer for them to hatch.

You're right in thinking lower temp, longer incubation time.

I've read that it is actually better for them to have a longer incubation time at a lower temp, rather than a higher incubation temp and shorter time. Apparently the shorter time prevents the crests from developing properly.


----------



## GlassWalker (Jun 15, 2011)

Another one for trying 1st time when it warms up.

I'd have to try looking up the exact temperature bounds later when I get home, but the consensus is a lower temp with longer incubation time gives cresties with "better" physical features. I think it was around 25C and upwards (but not too hot) gave around 60 days and possibly less, something in the region of 20C could be in ball park of double that.

Personally I was going to test that theory out directly, depending on egg production, starting at the shorter bound of 60 days initially and reducing the temperature for successive clutches, although the sample size isn't going to be significant.

As for the incubator itself, I've got a SIM, which will go into a home made poly box incubator. Haven't decided to make it slightly vented or not...


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

GlassWalker said:


> Another one for trying 1st time when it warms up.
> 
> I'd have to try looking up the exact temperature bounds later when I get home, but the consensus is a lower temp with longer incubation time gives cresties with "better" physical features. I think it was around 25C and upwards (but not too hot) gave around 60 days and possibly less, something in the region of 20C could be in ball park of double that.
> 
> ...


This is what I haven't decided on yet. Whether to go for a completely air tight tub that is opened once a week or something that has holes/vents for constant ventilation. I know both are commonly used methods but I'm unsure on what is best.

I'm aiming for 70-90 day incubations.


----------



## devg55 (Jun 7, 2011)

I was gunna get the minimum temp and the max temp and average it out. I'm not breeding to sell so i don't mind how long the eggs take. are the breeding boxs from exo terra any good? Cus they have vents round the lid but i dont know if it would be to open? So would i be alright keeping the eggs at around 23C?

It's a silly question but Whats a SIM?


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

devg55 said:


> I was gunna get the minimum temp and the max temp and average it out. *I'm not breeding to sell so i don't mind how long the eggs take.* are the breeding boxs from exo terra any good? Cus they have vents round the lid but i dont know if it would be to open? So would i be alright keeping the eggs at around 23C?
> 
> It's a silly question but Whats a SIM?


The main thing with the lenght is the developement of the crests. Normally, with a long incubation, the crests develope better, so the gecko is a better 'specimen'. With a shorter incubation the crests don't develope well. 

I'm not breeding to sell either, if any do get sold then it'll be when they're 6mth+. I'm hoping for a 70-90 incubation, keeping them on the shelf in my room.


----------



## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

longer incubation gives a slightly larger baby too, i do mine in sealed tubs and open once a week to change the air, dont have to mess with adding water to keep altering the humidity either.

was told you get better female odds in the hatchlings at lower temps, anyone found that?


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

pigglywiggly said:


> longer incubation gives a slightly larger baby too, i do mine in sealed tubs and open once a week to change the air, dont have to mess with adding water to keep altering the humidity either.
> 
> was told you get better female odds in the hatchlings at lower temps, anyone found that?


Thats interesting. Im hoping to use lower temps and hopefully sealed tubs too. Im keeping the babies until they can be sexed so it'll be interesting to see how many females there are from it.


----------



## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

the room mine are in is about 20 degrees c and they take 100 odd days to hatch.


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

pigglywiggly said:


> the room mine are in is about 20 degrees c and they take 100 odd days to hatch.


Thats about the amount of time i'm hoping for really. What do you find the crests come out like?


----------



## spottymint (Oct 3, 2010)

pigglywiggly said:


> was told you get better female odds in the hatchlings at lower temps, anyone found that?


I bought a baby crestie & an adult female from a breeder, he had experimented with hatching at room temps & his feedback from buyers seemed to support the lower temps hatched way more females.

I will be following his methods as I don't have an incubator & see how it goes, after all I'm not breeding for profits, just experience & a hobby.


----------



## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

kelsey7692 said:


> Thats about the amount of time i'm hoping for really. What do you find the crests come out like?


the temps have been lower and more stable than last year, and the crests are better this year


----------



## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

My room temperature is 20-23 average, and my hatchling that made it out the egg were around the 100 day mark.


----------

