Help! Unexpected beardy eggs

[sebbie0983]

I purchased two red phase unrelated bearded dragons just over 6 months ago, they are only just over a year old and are quite small as they were brumated by the owner before I recieved them. They are a pair(boy(sparky) and girl(beri)) and had been living together in an enclosure but when I noticed he was starting to get frisky with his head bobs and chasing I separated them by placing a grid in the middle of the enclosure as they were too small for breeding.

This was about 3 weeks to a month ago I guess. Today I went in to feed them and noticed the little girl beri has layed around 10 - 15 eggs in the bottom of the enclosure, I'm not sure what to do.

Can anyone give me some advice, I've read about an airtight container with moist vermiculite, is this the way to go? I don't have a incubator, thanks, any replys are extremely appreciated!

 

[Chris1]

whatrever u do dont turn the eggs!!

i know a girl who successfully incubated gecko eggs ontop of her snake tank where the temps were around 32 (i think)

that might work till u get an incubator ready,..

but i'm sure someone with personal experience will help, just thought i'd mention the not turning the eggs,...

 

[Chrisreptile]

First thing is, are they fertile?
Are the eggs nice and round and white in colour? You can also 'candle' with a pocket torch to see veins.

You can knock up an incubator quickly using an esky, (a pulse proportional thermostat and a heat cord. Available from :The Herp Shop - Australia)

Set it at 31C, check temperatures with a thermometer.

50:50 water and vermiculite works well.

I use cricket containers with a few small holes in the top.

*remember not to roll or rotate the eggs when placing them in the vermiculite.

 

[sebbie0983]

Thanks for that Chris, I think I've read that before so I haven't touched them, the little girl seems to be ok, I imagine it would have been a big ordeal for her but she looks ok, just a bit tired, do you think I should give her more vitamins over the coming weeks. Do you know much about setting up an incubator?

 

[sebbie0983]

They are white and look a perfect oval shape, I haven't touched them but they look like they would be hard rather than soft. I haven't checked for veins though, thanks

 

[Chris1]

i cant help with the incubator, but extra calcium food and sun for her since they generally double or triple clutch.

i think i've read 3 weeks till she lays the next lot,..

If u dont get all ur answers on this thread, PM JasonL, hes the beardy god of aps.

 

[Chrisreptile]

Sebbie, definitely build her back up with a heap of fruit, veg and calcium.

I have set up a few incubators, what sort of questions did you have?

 

[sebbie0983]

Thanks a lot Chris1, I'll get on to him, thanks too for the herp trader info other Chris, do you know how long it takes fot things to be sent

 

[sebbie0983]

Thanks Chrisreptile, I've got a small bar fridge at home which I was going to turn into an incubator eventually (just not this soon). I've got cricket containers, can get vermiculite, A few questions. Do I just wrap the heat cord around the container and plug it in to the pulse thermostat? How to I know what is the right consistency for the water: verm. ratio and what should I do with the eggs until I get the parts sent from Herp trader? Thanks a lot

 

[Chrisreptile]

Use a heat resistant tape, inside the bar fridge, line the walls with the cord and tape it down (don't let the cord touch its self).

The cord and thermostat plug in together.

I mix water and vermiculite together, then squeeze out the excess so that the vermiculite remains in a clump in your hand.

Use the top of an enclosure that has fairly constant heat?

 

[sebbie0983]

Prob a stupid question but obviously I should keep the lights on throughout the night in the enclosure while I've got the eggs on top?

 

[Chrisreptile]

My first attempt a few years ago, don't mind the beer bottle and the lights .

I used the fan to move some of the air around occasionally.

There are beardy eggs in the top two containers.

I hope this gives you a bit of an idea.

Prob a stupid question but obviously I should keep the lights on throughout the night in the enclosure while I've got the eggs on top?

Yes, it will help maintain the temperature.
Do you have a spare enclosure with a thermostat? That will do the job in the mean time.

 

[sebbie0983]

The other thing is there any way to stop the incubator from going over 31? There has been a few hot days lately, thanks

 

[Chrisreptile]

The other thing is there any way to stop the incubator from going over 31? There has been a few hot days lately, thanks

Place it in the coldest room of the house.

Although I'm in VIC, my incubator is in a double brick shed which doesn't get overly warm, even in Summer.

 

[sebbie0983]

Cool can do, is the fan and the globes you had in the picture necessary?

 

[Chrisreptile]

Cool can do, is the fan and the globes you had in the picture necessary?

The globes were a back up heat source.

In bigger fridges the fan will help to move the air, as we all know, hot air rises.

 

[sebbie0983]

Ok Chrisreptile, I'm going to go and get the stuff I need now, thanks heaps for your help, I would've been stuck otherwise. I'm gonna order the 50W Cord and a pulse thermostat, I'll let you know how I go, I appreciate all the help, thanks

 

[JasonL]

PM sent... Beardy eggs can be rolled without any ill effect days after laying... BD eggs are very hardy, they don't need any s****y incubator set up, just make sure you don't mix your vermic too wet, it's a common mistake most people new to breeding do... mix to it weight untill you get the idea, I mix 40w / 60v for most of my herps, and use quality made plastic tubs ie; not ones like cricket containers that loose alot of moisture.