1st Egg....not sure exactly what to do

[girly_gecko_girl]

Hi, I bought my crested geckos not too long ago, the female was "pregnant" at the time. Not sure if a fertilized egg or just an egg (told they will lay eggs even if not fertilzed if they've been around a male). Well, I've had her a couple weeks now and decided to go egg searching and found 1 in the pothos. I put a mark on it so I know which way is up and put moss over it (was covered with dirt).  However, not sure what else to do and don't want to move the egg until I have everything set up/need for it.

I have a small critter keeper....would that work for the egg?

And what kind of substrate do I use? Would the same stuff I have in the adult home work with moss added or should I do something else?  The substrate I have is the "coconut" bark that same in a brick and you get wet to expand.

Also, how can I tell if it's a fertilzed egg?

Should I put a "heat lamp" over or near the container or just let it be?

And is it unusual for just 1 egg? or would she lay in 2 different spots?  I went through the whole terrarium last night doing "spot" cleaning of dead crickets (found about 6 large in there, hiding...doesn't look like they're eating them), feces, mix up the substrate/dirt, etc..and didn't see any other eggs.  Just when I was checking the pothos I found the one.


I tried to located my gecko book last night and misplaced it.

[ColleenT]

ok, you can't leave it in the cage. you need an incubator. go get a gladware container and some Vermiculite. and you'll need a gram scale. you can get a postal scale at Staples or Office Depot.  first weight the container empty-in grams. then put the vermiculite in-dry. subtract the weight of the container, and you get a number. multiply this number by 2( this is the number you want) and place the container on the scale, in the grams and slowly pour a little water until you get to the number you got. remove mr egg, keep him right side up, and gently place 1/2 to 2/3 in the vermiculite. place the lid with holes( not big holes for when he hatches, you do not want an escape. ) keep it on top of the cage or near warmth to keep it at least 73 degrees. but not too hot. every few days measure the container and add water to keep it at the number you got at the end. actually write the number down somewhere. now- count 65 days and that is the guess time for hatching. Good luck.

[girly_gecko_girl]

Thank you very much!   

I've been trying to find vermiculite....my local pet stores don't have it.  Would a critter keeper work? Or is that going to be too tall?  I have a small one that I put my house geckos in when I clean the cage, but they have gotten out and the only 1 that is left (out of 3) is very mean and makes it really hard to handle, feed, clean the tank, etc, so I may take him back, unfortunately.

[smith710]

Your not going to find it at a pet store.  Go to walmart or home depot or another hardware store with plants.  and they usually don't have vermiculite, just get perlite, its the same stuff.

[Liz]

yeah what these guys said. I wish u luck with the egg.

[firecrested]

You can use a deli cup too if you have one.  you dont really need a scale. just make the vermiculite moist, be sure it's not soggy.  Squeeze it until there is no water coming out and you have it right.  cover the eggs about half way and you're done.  you can check weekly to see if you need to add more water but usually i never have to.

You will have to go to a plant store or a feed store to get the vermiculite.  Home Depot or lowes may have it but i have never checked there so i'm not sure.

[girly_gecko_girl]

Thank you everyone!!!!  This is going to sound funny, but....better to ask, than not!  Even if it's weird or silly!

I get the egg all set up in it's enclosure...can I put it in the terrarium that has my House Gecko, on the "cool" side of the terrarium, until it hatches?  That way it will have the heat and humidity and not get knocked over or anything like that by sitting out.  I have a 6 year old and while he's good at NOT touching things when I'm looking, he has a couple friends who are a little too curious.

[firecrested]

It should be ok if the temps are right.  Maybe put somethin on top of the container so the geckos dont knock it over.  you can put on a tall shelf too where the kids cant reach it. 

[smith710]

I think it would be a better idea just to put it on a high shelf.

[firecrested]

Yea. that would be the safest thing.  My friend use to keep his in the crested breeding cage with no problems but i have never tried it.  Mine are always on my shelf.

[girly_gecko_girl]

Thanks for the info.  I ahve looked and called around to various stores for vermiculite & perlite and no one has it out here where I am.  I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Any thing else I can use?  Right now it's still in the pothos soil and covered with moss I had.  It's staying moist, but I want to move it.

[firecrested]

I dont know what else to use    I only use vermiculite.  They may hatch in there but if the adults see them they will eat them.

[Liz]

i dont think they will hatch,  dont know what else to say

[cml3.0]

You can always purchase vermiculite or perlite  over the internet. Just look around, try to look at beanfarm or LLLreptile, ect..

Best of luck!

[ColleenT]

are you Sure? do you have a garden store or a nursery? they should have vermiculite.

[smith710]

Somebody should definately have vermiculite or perlite around.  There aren't any Wal*Marts up there?

[girly_gecko_girl]

Wal-Mart doesn't carry it.  I've checked the 2 that are in my area.  I've contacted Home Depot, Lowes and Orchard Supply....nope and to check back in the spring/summer.  Target used to have garden areas here, but not anymore.  There are 3 nurseries in the area and 2 don't carry it since it doesn't sell and 1 that does wants to sell me a HUGE industrial sized bag for $50. 

Any other ideas?  My mom said I could go through all my soil and potted plants and take it out of there.  Told her she was crazy and that all my potted plants have ground soil and no vermiculite in it.

[smith710]

You checked the garden centers at all these places? I really don't know then, I find that crazy.

[ColleenT]

get some online?

[honuman]

Try a Home Depot or Lowes if you have them in your area.  As far as having them hatch in the tank. Yes it most certainly can happen but it is very risky.  First the egg could dry out in the in the flower pot.  Second, once it hatches if you are not there to pull the baby out in can easily become a meal for the parents.

I have missed several eggs in the past and just happened to be look into my enclosure and see a little one clinging to plant.

This was a complete accident though and I do not recommend that you try to leave the egg in the environment.  Just too much can go wrong

Steve

[firecrested]

I'm sending her a little vermiculite/perlite mix tomorrow    maybe it will get there in time before it dries out.

[Syrus]

If you have any petsmarts in the area, look to see if they have something called hatchrite. I haven't tried it before, and it doesn't list the ingredients, but its made for hatching reptile eggs. I had a problem finding some also, try Fred Meyers if you have it near you. They have Perlite, not vermiculite, which should work the same

[honuman]

I'm sending her a little vermiculite/perlite mix tomorrow? ? maybe it will get there in time before it dries out.

I was about to ask her where she lived cuz I was gonna do the same thing.  Between hatching these guys all my other gecko species and turtles I have TONS of the stuff lying around.  Great that your sending her some.  Yeah lets hope the egg doesn't dry out before hand.  Also I wouldn't be surprised if there is more than one egg in that pot.

Steve

[Liz]

i was gonan offer to get her bag and ship it, but looks like u beat me to it

[girly_gecko_girl]

You guys are the best!!!  Thank you!!!!

I was cheking the egg and it looks "wet" in a couple spots AND seems to be soft too.  Is that normal?  I also found the 2nd egg....it was buring UNDER the 1st egg w/ some soil over it and seems to be softer than the one on top.  Maybe they got too wet?

I found a little Tupperware sncak cup and put wet/dam moss in there and the eggs on top.  I found a lid that has a "moveable" top to pour the snacks out w/ that I have cracked just a little bit, not much.  This is in the Crested terrarium at this point in a corner.  I mist the terrarium daily, so....hopefully they shouldn't dry out. 

[firecrested]

They should be soft.  THey're not like eggs you eat, they will have a "leathery" feel.

[girly_gecko_girl]

I got my package!  Thank you!!!  Only concern is that when I went to put the eggs in there, one of them wasn't sitting the right way, the ink spot I made was on the bottom.  Not sure how it got shifted or when.  Hopefully will be ok.

[Liz]

good luck!!!!

[honuman]

Thank you!!!? Only concern is that when I went to put the eggs in there, one of them wasn't sitting the right way, the ink spot I made was on the bottom.? Not sure how it got shifted or when.? Hopefully will be ok.

Let me tell you the story of my FIRST crested gecko egg .

I cleaned out my gecko enclosure and put the soiled substrate in a paper shopping bag.? My better half wanted to keep the mulch to spread in a flower bed so I put it in one our greenhouses.? It sat in that greenhouse in a bag and was heated to over 95 degrees for 4 days in a row.? Then on that weekend the mulch was dumped into a flower bed and raked out.? It sat in the heat of the summer sun for several hours.? When I went outside to help out with the yard work I happened to look into the flower bed and there in the middle of flowerbed, in the heat of the sun, a crestie egg was staring me right in the face.

I took it in and stuck it in vermiculite but I figured it for dead after all that.? Well I left it be and it hatched.? I still have my first little girl (Murphy -- after Murphy's law -- anything that can go wrong did go wrong) and she still hatched.

I guess what this long winded story is saying is don't count the eggs out.? Crestie eggs are pretty resilient.? If this story isn't proof of that nothing is.

Steve

[firecrested]

Did you moisten the vermiculite?  Just making sure.  I didnt add any water to it when i shipped it.

[smith710]

Good luck with the eggs

[gsreptiles]

I hope everything works out. I know this probably sounds kind of weird but I incubate my eggs in "bed-a-beast" the shredded cocunut at the pet store and have hatched my first 3 out of 3 clutches in it.