# Leopard Gecko Egg Help !!



## lil-miss-vix (Jun 18, 2009)

i have 3 breeding pairs of geckos and get eggs from them, i put the eggs in egg hatching substrate and in to a lucky rep incubator and all the eggs seem to do over time sink and shrivel up what am i doing wrong?


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

have you checked the temperature of the incy with a digital thermometer?
some are a bit out apparently.


what medium are you putting them into? 
how moist is it?
is the egg tub sealed or does it have holes in?


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## lil-miss-vix (Jun 18, 2009)

yeah checked the temprature, its bang on right.
i mix it to what the bag says then open once week, i use the tubs that the insects come in.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

if you`re using crix tubs they have holes in the sides so your medium will br drying out.

that might be your problem why not try using takeaway tubsor cheapo sandwich boxes/

then the humidity will stay the same,you just have to air them once a week.

have you cndeled them to make sure they are fertile to start with? i check mine after about aweek and they glow nice and pink


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

lil-miss-vix said:


> i have 3 breeding pairs of geckos and get eggs from them, i put the eggs in egg hatching substrate and in to a lucky rep incubator and all the eggs seem to do over time sink and shrivel up what am i doing wrong?


eggs can sink/shrivel up for several reasons including too wet, too dry, infertile and even die-off of the embryo ~ have you candled the eggs at all?


> if you`re using crix tubs they have holes in the sides so your medium will br drying out.


fraid I would say that this is not always the case ~ I use ventilated crix boxes (only the bottom row of holes is covered) and I don't have the problem of humidity lose or medium drying out


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## las (Oct 20, 2009)

I would candle the eggs to start off with. Even before putting them in to incubate next time. There is no point putting in infertile eggs.
Put a piece of paper in with the edges on the perlite/vermicalite. If it gets really wet either change the perlite or leave the lid off. It is too wet. If it is dry spray the perlite. But make sure the eggs do not get sprayed. If it is damp that is fine.
See if that helps and let us know what the paper says.
And by the way I have no problem with holes in the tube. Leave the paper in and if it gets too dry just add a damp tissue.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

SleepyD said:


> fraid I would say that this is not always the case ~ I use ventilated crix boxes (only the bottom row of holes is covered) and I don't have the problem of humidity lose or medium drying out


i`m not saying crix tubs cant be used, its just that for a beginner incubating for the first time keeping the humidity stable would probarbly be easier in a sealed tub imho.


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

las said:


> I would candle the eggs to start off with. Even before putting them in to incubate next time. There is no point putting in infertile eggs.


a problem with candling them right at the start is that while some eggs are laid with the typical 'bullseye' of a fertile egg many don't develop this until later so by throwing any that don't show the bullseye straight off you are standing a good chance of ditching good eggs with the bad which is why I candle twice ~ once when they're laid and again at least a week after they are laid 



pigglywiggly said:


> i`m not saying crix tubs cant be used, its just that for a beginner incubating for the first time keeping the humidity stable would probarbly be easier in a sealed tub imho.


this is why I also said that eggs can sink/shrivel up for several reasons including too wet, too dry, infertile and even die-off of the embryo


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## tonkaz0 (Apr 25, 2008)

SleepyD said:


> a problem with candling them right at the start is that while some eggs are laid with the typical 'bullseye' of a fertile egg many don't develop this until later so by throwing any that don't show the bullseye straight off you are standing a good chance of ditching good eggs with the bad which is why I candle twice ~ once when they're laid and again at least a week after they are laid
> 
> 
> this is why I also said that eggs can sink/shrivel up for several reasons including too wet, too dry, infertile and even die-off of the embryo


 
Dito to that! Ive used cricket tubs with just the bottom layer of holes taped up for donkeys years without a problem!, and never Ive felt the need to candle an egg ever! I know mates of mine do it with snake eggs but without taking them out of the tub, I think that is just something that folks reading some of the threads on here think they should do, 
but with experience you will soon realise if the egg is good or not and the more you mess with them the more chance that they will not hatch! just put them in the incubator and time will tell you if their gonna hatch or not! and it just adds to the excitment.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

i dont really candle mine, if they arnt mouldy and stinking i just leave them be. appart from putting them in the tubs i dont touch them either,

surely too much handling and poking with them isnt going to do them any good?
but i`m used to hatching birds where you shouldnt touch the eggs unless you have to, asthey pick up lots of bacteria which breed like mad in the warm incy and they explode violently if they go bad!


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## lil-miss-vix (Jun 18, 2009)

thanks everyone some good advice i will try all ideas, really cant wait to have first hatchlings, had incubator for months now and still no babies.


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