# Incubation medium?



## Irwin4530 (Jan 4, 2012)

Hello all!
In anticipation of eggs in my furure I have been reading about what to do with them...to keep or not to keep.

Should I get myself all set for eggs, what medium should I use and how do I know if it is to wet? I know that everyone talks about Vermiculite, but I have not been able to locate it at Home Depot (or the like) and read about how keeping it to wet can damage the eggs....Of course to dry will do the same???

** also is it true that you have to keep the eggs in the same "orientation" that they were in the nest......and if that is the case, how do you wash them etc.?? ****


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## zesty_17 (Jan 4, 2012)

Irwin4530 said:


> Hello all!
> In anticipation of eggs in my furure I have been reading about what to do with them...to keep or not to keep.
> 
> Should I get myself all set for eggs, what medium should I use and how do I know if it is to wet? I know that everyone talks about Vermiculite, but I have not been able to locate it at Home Depot (or the like) and read about how keeping it to wet can damage the eggs....Of course to dry will do the same???
> ...



for my box turtles, i used a mix of top soil/sand on the bottom (very wet) in a cooler and placed the eggs in damp sphagnum moss (later for added humidity) with a small bowl of water in the middle & misted them as needed. i didn't wash them, only oriented them the way they were in the primary nest and wrote "L" & "R" on top as a personal reference to me. I had a thermometer in the incubator (styrofoam cooler), and only looked in on them about once a week to monitor progress. I candled them every other week-ish. vermiculite works well, but this was what i came up with in a pinch & both babies hatched beautifully. there are great references of this online with step by step instructions.


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## Tom (Jan 4, 2012)

I use vermiculite. I get mine at OSH. I mix it in a 1:1 ratio with plain water by WEIGHT. So 485 grams of vermiculite and 485 grams of water, for example. I then incubate in shoe boxes inside my incubators. drill 4 quarter inch holes on opposing sides for a tiny bit of ventilation. These hold humidity just right.

I have heard that the eggs can be rotated for around 48 hours after laying. I have not tested this and I keep mine oriented the same way they were laid, no matter how quickly I get to them. I do not wash mine at all. I just brush some of the dirt off.

This technique works for sulcatas and leopards, but other species might need something a little different.

I would talk to someone who regularly, successfully incubates the species you are interested in.


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## GBtortoises (Jan 5, 2012)

I incubate Mediterranen species and terrestrial turtle eggs in styrofoam poultry incubators (Hovabator, Little Giant & similar). I've had equally good success with vermiculite, perlite, Hatchrite, organic soil and sphagnum moss as an incubation medium. I usually add some moisture to the medium but if the humidity level within the incubator in general is too dry it's going to draw the moisture out of the medium. I place the medium and eggs in open top containers to allow for better air/gas exchange. I maintain humidity by keeping an open, shallow container of water with a sponge floating in it in the incubator at all times. The sponge acts as a wick to draw water up from the container and turn it into humid air. With this method at a temperature of 88-89 degrees the ambient humidity within the incubator ranges from 65-72%.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jan 8, 2012)

I have always used vermiculite. I purchase in bulk at the a local plant nursery, not expensive.


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## Irwin4530 (Jan 10, 2012)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> I have always used vermiculite. I purchase in bulk at the a local plant nursery, not expensive.



do you keep it damp or wet? I see the cup of water for humidity.

Also do you set it up before and let it "set"....I mean how long do you let the whole set up run before putting eggs in?

ALSO....Thanks for getting back to me everyone!


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jan 10, 2012)

Irwin4530 said:


> ALDABRAMAN said:
> 
> 
> > I have always used vermiculite. I purchase in bulk at the a local plant nursery, not expensive.
> ...



*That cup is what I use to measure the vermiculite for the incubators. What works best for us is I mix 14 cups of vermiculite and 1/2 gallon of water into a large stew pot and mix it good. I then place it into the incubator with two large bowls for water to be added as needed to maintain my humidity levels. As soon as I catch the eggs I mix the vermiculite and water at that time. I place the eggs in the mix within 30 min. after they are laid.

















*


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## Irwin4530 (Jan 12, 2012)

THANK YOU!!!

Awsome pictures!!


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jan 12, 2012)

Irwin4530 said:


> THANK YOU!!!
> 
> Awsome pictures!!


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