Okay, so I have 2 Leopard Geckos, I got them 1.5years ago and ones male and the other is female. They both have always lived together and do fine. They live in a 15gal long btw. Anyways, she has eggs. Last year about this time she laid 2 clutches, and neither were fertile. But now they might be. I wasn't expecting this at all. She ALWAYS wants to mate, and he just walks away being dumb. But I would love to continue this. Well, I do not have the money to buy an incubator. So I was looking at all this homemade ideas. The most famous seems the fishtank, but I don't get it. I have a rather hot bedroom, and it's usally around 80*. If I put a small light in a small tank/keeper with the eggs and keep the temp right and humdity. Why can't I just do that? Or why don't people suggest UTH in a small indiviual tank? Why do you have to have foam, or this warm water. Please give me advice. She looks as she'll have them anytime, I see 2. And what's best, verm or perlite?
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jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
i have bred leos for 4 years now and have over 30 so my incubator fills up rather quickly. so the ones that dont fit i get a tupperwear container put vermiculite and perlite mix together place eggs in lay any water retaining moss on top make sure you squeex the excess water out of the moss before laying it on the eggs. poke some holes in the top and place on a shelf every week or so open and run the moss under water squeeze most of the water out and re-cover it works well for me my hypos hatched nicely in this incubation
elgecko
I've got a magic window!
I have always used a 10 gallon tank for my incubator with the bottom filled with water to cover a submersible fish heater by 2" or so. I then placed 2 bricks on there side that were just above the water. I then used another plastic container for the egg box with holes punched in the lid. The inside of the egg box I used moist vermiculite. I know people who have used perlite. The water in the bottom of the 10 gallon tank is to set your temperature and keep humidity up.
I use a digital thermometer with the sensor placed at the same level as the egg box on the inside glass of the 10 gallon tank. The outside of the 10 gallon tank is covered in cork to help insulate it. This way I was always sure the eggs were at the correct temperature. Turn on the heater to obtain a temperature between 76-79°F. If temperatures are higher you will get some males. When males mature they will fight with each other. The temperature the eggs are incubated at determines the sex of the babies.
You can always try to incubate them at room temperature, it might work. I like to know things are consistent myself. I would not add a light as I think you will raise your temperature too much. Also UTH are very hot. I measure mine around 115 degrees. I have a rheostat on it to keep it around 90 degrees for my lizards.
Hope this helps.
I use a digital thermometer with the sensor placed at the same level as the egg box on the inside glass of the 10 gallon tank. The outside of the 10 gallon tank is covered in cork to help insulate it. This way I was always sure the eggs were at the correct temperature. Turn on the heater to obtain a temperature between 76-79°F. If temperatures are higher you will get some males. When males mature they will fight with each other. The temperature the eggs are incubated at determines the sex of the babies.
You can always try to incubate them at room temperature, it might work. I like to know things are consistent myself. I would not add a light as I think you will raise your temperature too much. Also UTH are very hot. I measure mine around 115 degrees. I have a rheostat on it to keep it around 90 degrees for my lizards.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the input everyone, and Steve.
Vertigo I never seen you around the forums where I lurk until this one and the 'other' plant one. A lot of help though. =)
Anyways, so I decided to just kinda.. go with it. She laid them the night beofre last, at 4am. I got them within 2 hours of her laying. She did it in her "cave", not nesting hide. But they look SO much better than last year, when they were deflated yellow unfertile eggs. I put them in a deli cup with moist perlite and 4 small holes. I put them in a small tank with a light and glass cover. Is this alright? So far the temp has stayed around 82*-84* and humidity around 80%. This okay? If so I'm just going to keep them there. This morning they were softer and looked like a 'coating' was pelling off, the hard white one and they were a tad cream color. I got scared. It was about 82 then so I put the glass top on(had plastic) and tonight they look fine, at 84. How often should I mist and when I do should I do it around or ON the eggs? I'm so excited!! She did this twice last year and they were so bad. You could hold them up to a normal light and see right through the soft yellow shell. Now you can't see nothing, they are solid. Even if they turn out unfertile, she's getting better. =)
Heres a pic.
Vertigo I never seen you around the forums where I lurk until this one and the 'other' plant one. A lot of help though. =)
Anyways, so I decided to just kinda.. go with it. She laid them the night beofre last, at 4am. I got them within 2 hours of her laying. She did it in her "cave", not nesting hide. But they look SO much better than last year, when they were deflated yellow unfertile eggs. I put them in a deli cup with moist perlite and 4 small holes. I put them in a small tank with a light and glass cover. Is this alright? So far the temp has stayed around 82*-84* and humidity around 80%. This okay? If so I'm just going to keep them there. This morning they were softer and looked like a 'coating' was pelling off, the hard white one and they were a tad cream color. I got scared. It was about 82 then so I put the glass top on(had plastic) and tonight they look fine, at 84. How often should I mist and when I do should I do it around or ON the eggs? I'm so excited!! She did this twice last year and they were so bad. You could hold them up to a normal light and see right through the soft yellow shell. Now you can't see nothing, they are solid. Even if they turn out unfertile, she's getting better. =)
Heres a pic.
elgecko
I've got a magic window!
At a temp around 85 degrees, you will almost get an equal number of males and females.
Where these the first one's of the season? I have had a large failure rate of the first clutches my leos laid in the past when I bred them. Also if your leo is too young they will not be fertile eggs.
Also you said about holding the egg up to the light. Do not rotate or tilt the eggs once they are laid. Keep them in the same position when you transfer them to your incubator. Rotating or tilting the eggs can kill the embryo inside the egg.
I kept my vermiculite just damp when incubating the eggs, and misted the eggs and all when it was getting dry.
Where these the first one's of the season? I have had a large failure rate of the first clutches my leos laid in the past when I bred them. Also if your leo is too young they will not be fertile eggs.
Also you said about holding the egg up to the light. Do not rotate or tilt the eggs once they are laid. Keep them in the same position when you transfer them to your incubator. Rotating or tilting the eggs can kill the embryo inside the egg.
I kept my vermiculite just damp when incubating the eggs, and misted the eggs and all when it was getting dry.
Yeah, mold, I think.... like little hairs. I kept the perlite damp, but not 'watery'. This is so dissapointing. They look good in those pics, and now they don't look like that. Does that mean I messed up or can unfertile eggs look bad at a later date? When she laid last year, unfertile bc young, they were way obvisous it was unfertile at time of laying. And her age is 1 year and 6 months. Same as the male. And yes this was her first eggs of the 'season/year'. And no I didn't tip them or anything.
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Guess what!!
Wow, I'm excited. My Star laid more eggs yesterday morning and man she had a rough time. But she laid two, and I did the flashlight thing, and one looks fertile! Deff! Woohoo, he finally ::ahum:: yeah.
Anyways, I walked in on them two mating today. First time I've caught em. She was so mad, because I turned the light on not knowing. She jumped at the tank at me. Ah, well. Anyways, why would only one be fertile? The other looks like the first batch.
Oh and she didn't have a smooth time this last. Seems like she's loosing a lot of weight with all this laying and breeding. What do I do? Double feed her? And no I'm not doing pinkies.
My 'homemade' incubation setup didn't quite work well last time. Eventhough they were infertile. Any ideas? My room stays around 80-86, never really lower or higher. Could I just put them in a deli cup and such and put down in a box and put somewhere dark until time? I read some people just set on shelves. Right now they are in a deli cup(perlite) and beside there heater. No mold or anything. =)
Wow, I'm excited. My Star laid more eggs yesterday morning and man she had a rough time. But she laid two, and I did the flashlight thing, and one looks fertile! Deff! Woohoo, he finally ::ahum:: yeah.
Anyways, I walked in on them two mating today. First time I've caught em. She was so mad, because I turned the light on not knowing. She jumped at the tank at me. Ah, well. Anyways, why would only one be fertile? The other looks like the first batch.
Oh and she didn't have a smooth time this last. Seems like she's loosing a lot of weight with all this laying and breeding. What do I do? Double feed her? And no I'm not doing pinkies.
My 'homemade' incubation setup didn't quite work well last time. Eventhough they were infertile. Any ideas? My room stays around 80-86, never really lower or higher. Could I just put them in a deli cup and such and put down in a box and put somewhere dark until time? I read some people just set on shelves. Right now they are in a deli cup(perlite) and beside there heater. No mold or anything. =)
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
elgecko
I've got a magic window!
Yeah. I feed my crickets potatoes, carrots, and fish flakes. I dust vitamins occassionaly and they eat their calcium out of their dish. She has been in that a lot here lately. The eggs still look good, woohoo. It's around 85* where I set them. I understand the whole pinkie thing, I just couldn't do it considering I own mice and used to breed them. =P I will get some waxworms soon. How many should I fed? I used to give them as treats, but they became to where they wouldn't eat mealworms anymore and I had stopped.
