Help with first clutch

[marksmates]

Thank you so much

 

[Jdsixtyone]

Just a quick question, do you know much about breeding? Or do u keep a m +f together and it happened naturally. What temps are your incubator at? And just open up the container with the eggs and gently fan the eggs with the lid, once a day that will help remove the stale air with fresh.

 

[Jdsixtyone]

Also how old is your female?

 

[bowdnboy]

In addition to the preceeding Q's, just to make sure you know what your getting yourself in for. Have u got enough food for the babies. once they start eating they are big eaters. they'll eat you out of house and home. make sure youve got ALOT of small woodies / crix at hand. after the initial 1-4days of not eating, they'll go nuts!

 

[marksmates]

They are just my sons pets and happened to be male and female. They are both about two years old. The eggs are being kept between 28 and 30 degrees with humidity at 99. Do i need to keep wetting the vamic? Thanks for that we are tring to strike a deal on baby crickets with the local supplier. My husband is also tring to bread his own crickets.

 

[bowdnboy]

If your vermiculite / water rmix is correct at the start, u shouldnt have to add water again. I still use 1 to 1, and just wipe offf any condensation on the lid every 2nd day or so. By the time there nearly getting ready to hatch, the amount of condensation on the lid has decreased (I guess b/c each time I wipe the inside of the lid, I'm removing that water from the system)

Also, in my opinion, breed roaches (woodies) much easier. U can buy large amounts as well at the specific size u want on this site. search for woodies for sale. all u need is a lrge plastic tub with some painted fluon around the top and mesh in the lid for circulation. sit em on a heat mat and feed em carrots. done!

 

[Lollypop]

As long as the humidity doesn't drop much below 80 there should be no need to spray the vermiculite - u risk the eggs going mouldy.
I also agree, woodies are much easier to breed, do it all themselves. But u will need the babies (crickets or woodies) ordered to cope with the littlies.
You do know as well that your son's female will probably have 3 clutches of eggs, approx 3 wks apart, just from the one mating? - as long as u know that.
The babies need to be fed 2-3 times daily. If there's anything else, or u can't find info by searching, just let us know

 

[bowdnboy]

Heyyy, lollipop. good point. that totally slipped my mind. Yer. get ready for some more. if she layed those 2 weeks ago, u should be feeling more eggs in her by now. They can sometimes take longer than 3 weeks to lay a second clutch also, so if you cant feel any signs now, it doesnt necesarily mean there arnt going to be anymore. They can retain sperm and have up to 4or5 clutches, dpending on their condition all from the one mating event.

U better get a lay box sorted and ready to go. U should also see signs shortly of her digging and scratching around the enclosure. This is a sign that shes getting ready.

Good luck

 

[marksmates]

Thank you. We have a lay box in that she was digging in however she had them on the floor. The lay box is full of red sand not sure why she didnt use it.? Thanks for the tip on woodies will try them instead. With the vermic i did the 1:1by weight but theres not much condensation so i added more water (not much) a few days ago. I hope they are ok.

 

[marksmates]

I just felt her tummy there seems to be nothing there, however this lot took us by suprise so im ready for anything.

 

[bowdnboy]

Was the red sand moiostened. did it clump together. They like to tunnel in. if it was just red sand it would've just caved in on itself. THey can be pretty fussy when it comes to lay substrates. the reason why she layed them on the ground was b/c she couldnt find any other place she like to lay.

I'd get rid of the red sand and use peat bricks instead. u get em from any garden place. put a couple of bricks in water and they absorb water to 4-5 times there size. then squeeze all excess water out. put in the box, nad compact down so that it will hold its shape.

Cheers
Colby

 

[marksmates]

Thanks Colby, The bad news is i cleaned out thier lay box today and found that this is her second clutch the first was deeper then i'd been looking and they had all dried out. I have moisened the sand and will try and keep it that way.

We were expecting another clutch soon but now i dont know, do they have more than two clutches in one season? If so how long between?

 

[bowdnboy]

bugger, sorry to hear.

yer they can have multiple clutches of even 4-5. Just depends on her condition, amongst other things.

I had 4 clutches last yr, each 3weeks apart for a total of 55 eggs all up. This yr, she's actually in the box as I type laying her 3rd cluthch, 4 weeks after her second. Her second(21eggs) was 8 weeks after her first(24 eggs), however, she got an infection inbetween the 1st and 2nd clutches, and it took a little while for her to come good. As soon as she was on the mend, bang, the eggs started coming again. Amazing critters!

Ive now got 21 littlies running around from the 1st clutch hatch. Busy times ahead.

You will feel the eggs in her belly when shes getting close. Once they lay, they look like scrawny little thin lizards. Its a matter of keeping a close eye on them. I'll take the day off work if shes laying in the morning. They then need a bit of tendor loving care. I give them a nice warm bath, and feed her up well and truly over the following weeks.

Cheers
Colby

 

[marksmates]

That is so cool. I hope i know when my 'wendy' is laying it'll be so cool. Do you move the eggs straight away or wait. What do you feed your babies and how much. I have read up heaps but it's good to hear from people that r ding it now rather than books.

You said she layed 24 in the first but you have 21 litties what happened to the other 3?

 

[Renagade]

Here's an example:

Don't mind the fluon - kids don't like woodies in their bedrooms:lol: I just got an offcut from a lino wholesale place, cheap as chips, & the beardies can actually walk properly on it! I also compromised with half sand, feed on the lino section. Hope that helps!

i suggest using masking tape to get clean lines for your fluron, it sort of wrecks a great enclosure in your example.

 

[bowdnboy]

lol, I was thinking the same thing Renegade!

marksmates: After shes finished laying she'll turn around and bury them and thump the substrate down with her head to compact before filling in the whole completely. as soon as she starts filling it in after compacting, it remove her.

I have once removed her prior to compacting, but what I found was she just went arounf=d her enclosure as if she was bury the eggs, looked a bit stressed thinking she hadnt buried them so now I wait.

As ofr food, I use woodies. If my colonys going slow, I buy bulk packs in in the very small size. Woodies for sale on this site sells, and is very good to deal with.

Of the 24, 1 was infertile and later removed, the other two were assist hatched a few days after the others had all hatched, but werent real good, with slight deformities and died, leaving 21.

And, Ive just finished sorting her out after she layed her 3rd clutch. Another 27eggs. 25 look good, 2 look as if there infertile. Ive put them in the incubator just in case, but dont think they'll make it.
So after 3 clutches, 72 eggs so far. will be interesting to see if she has another?

Cheers

 

[marksmates]

Thanks Colby. I love this site never have a had such great info and feedback. Good luck with all your babies. I didnt realise some of the eggs could be fertile and some not. Its funny i have four kids you'd think i'd no more about it. lol When i learn how to post pics i will show you my bob and wendy.
Cheers
Jodie

 

[geckos_are_great]

off topic can you candle eastern long neck turtle eggs. as mine are laying atm have two eggs so far

 

[marksmates]

Thats so exciting. I have no idea. I used to have turtles but they never layed. Good luck with it.

 

[Lollypop]

i suggest using masking tape to get clean lines for your fluron, it sort of wrecks a great enclosure in your example.

Thanks for the hint Renagade - hindsights a beautiful thing..............