Incubation question

[LIttleGreys]

My 3 toed layed her eggs on Saturday night. I brought them in when I found them Sunday AM. I put them in peat moss/soil mixture (which is all I had-it was what she layed them in) in a plastic container in a warm place until yesterday when I got my incubator. Today I finally got my vermiculite, mixed it up and put it in a plastic container in the incubator to get it to them same temp as what the eggs are in now. Is it OK at this point to gently switch them to the vermiculite or should I just leave them be where they are? Also, when the vermiculite (or where they are now) startes to dry out, how do I add moisture, meaning can I use a spray bottle and spray eggs and all, try to pour water around the eggs? Seems I read somewhere not to get the eggs wet, but maybe that was for lizard or snake eggs?
Also 2 have chalked up, but the 3rd doesn't look like it.
Thanks for all the help.
Sue

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know if its correct or not, but I always spray my eggs with room temperature water. You can put a small cup filled with water in the incubator, fill the wells on the floor of the incubator with water too. The vermiculite won't dry out very fast.

Yvonne

 

[Millerlite]

I would keep the substrate moist, and let leave a cup in the incubator to create humidity. I heard if you wet the eggs it can drown and kill them, I have hatched a few eggs and i never wet the eggs, but i believe emys had babies too so wetting might not kill them after all, Everyone does it different but the principle is always the same, stable heat and humidity. The vermiculite should stay pretty moist without a problem. Good luck!

 

[Crazy1]

Sue, I can't say much about the egg care for box turtles as I have NO knowledge there but about your incubator they say they should be run at least 24 to 48 hours in order to set the temps. Did you do that? I know when I had my first clutch I didn't but I just watched the temps really closely to make sure they were correct and didn't fluctuate. Good luck, I hope the third egg chalks. Just give it time it may yet.

 

[egyptiandan]

You can do either way Sue, spraying the eggs or spraying around the eggs. It's the amount of water thats important. So when you get the eggs set in the container with the vermiculite, weigh it. Save that weight. You can weigh the container weekly or every 2 weeks, depends on how much evaporation you are getting. Start with weekly weighs. When the weight goes down add back only enough water to get it to the original weight. That way you can't go wrong.

Danny

 

[LIttleGreys]

Thanks so much for all the info, you guys are great! I guess my worry was that the vermiculite would dry out right around the eggs. I didn't think I was supposed to remove the eggs to stir it up when I added water. So adding it around the eggs will be OK, it won't dry out right around the eggs?
I did add water to the wells in the bottom of the incubator. I did run the incubator for a little over 24 hours. I have it steady at 80f right now. I tried to get it a bit higher, but it would jump to 90 and I didn't want it THAT high! Is 80 OK? The room I have it in gets pretty warm on hot summer days, but it was about my only choice for a safe location. So I will monitor it closely.
When I moved the eggs to the vermiculite, the third egg does look like it is chalking.
Is seems nothing is going right in my life right now, it would make my daughter and I so happy if we even got just one hatchling!!!
Sue

 

[bettinge]

It sure will be a fun experience for your daughter to follow! The worry and wonder will be part of the excitement when you get your first hatchling!