Great!!! cypress mutch holds mositure good like sphagnum I assume? n/p

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Posted by Frank Roberts on March 30, 2002 at 19:55:05:

In Reply to: Re: check out pic frank ..n/p posted by Andre' on March 30, 2002 at 19:36:40:

: : I use both vermiculite and sphagnum moss, I mix the vermiculite with water by grabbing it and submerging it in 82 degree water
: : (colubrid eggs) or 88 degree water (python eggs) and then squeezing out the excess water till it is moist but not water logged, I
: : then line the bottom of incubation chamber with vermiculite of this consistency, I then make a slight depression in the vermiculite
: : and for colubrids place the "pile of adherent eggs" in the depression, most eggs are not in contact with the vermiculite from
: : colubrid adherent clutches, this depression is in the middle of the incubation chamber with several inches all around with no eggs
: : just vermiculite, I then prepare the sphagnum moss in the very same manner, moist but not water logged. I then cover the entire
: : clutch of eggs with the dampened sphagnum moss so you can not see any of the eggs. Then I spray the walls of the incubation
: : chamber with the needed water at the proper temperature, for colubrids it is 82 degrees, preparation is fast and simple, water
: : can be heated with a good fish tank thermometer set in a 10 gallon tank for ideal temperature. I do not mist eggs directly and
: : also the incubation chamber usually a small rubbermaid or sterilite container has air holes all the way around the top sides, the
: : eggs are checked on to make sure they are not too humid, if found to be to humid the sphagnum moss is removed and placed
: : away from the eggs to let it dry out a little, if not moist enough the 82 degree water is used to moisten the sphagnum moss or
: : vermiculite as needed. (95 percent of the time no adjustment is necessary for the entire incubation period) I have many 100
: : percent hatch rates with this technique and have been using it since 1981, the only others I have heard was the Loves using a
: : similar technique. I figured that in the wild eggs are usually buried in rotting logs etc..so I decided to cover the eggs and not
: : leave them exposed. Also a good incubator for colubrid eggs if you can't find the right temp in your snake room is a 10 gallon
: : aquarium with bricks in the bottom, fill with water to below bricks, take good aquarium heater (submergible) put in water set
: : temp for 82 put container on bricks with temp probe in chamber (set this up before eggs come) cover top of aquarium with
: : glass lid and presto within hours the temp in the chamber is most times 82 degrees, add water to tank as necessary. Quick
: : cheap incubator. I personally just place the colubrid eggs in my snake room at the proper temperature, I control the temp of my
: : entire room with a helix microclimate super system and have pretty consistent temps to work with. I have never had any
: : problems with fertile eggs developing fungus with my incubation system, the sphagnum moss and vermiculite are kept damp but
: : not wet at all times and the constant condensation I keep on the sides of the incubation chamber keep the relative humidity near
: : 100 percent without drying out the incubation medium. Slight adjustments are sometimes necessary, this same technique has
: : worked for lizard eggs and python eggs, just different temps are used. Fresh water turtle eggs I Incubate in sterilite bowl type
: : containers with a mixture of vermiculite, sphagnum moss, and sand mixed together and the eggs are completely buried like 3 to
: : 5 inches into the medium and incubated at the proper temperature, I have had great success with this technique as well for north
: : American turtle eggs, the turtles dig themselves out when they hatch, I haven't lost any this way yet as well, then again I haven't
: : hatched out more than 5 clutches of turtle eggs in the captive environment, this technique is based on how NA turtles burry their
: : eggs above the water line about the same distance in the ground. I am currently incubating Riopa eggs and have uncovered the
: : sphagnum and have part of the eggs exposed, 90 percent covered, the eggs are swelling a lot towards the end of incubation,
: : which I have read is normal, but I removed a little sphagnum moss to ensure they are too hydrated, ( first time clutch ) in 40
: : days so far I have moistened the walls of the chamber only once. I am using a gallon jar with holes in the lid as an incubation
: : chamber (Costco Palmieri Sauce Jar, hehe) temps used are 80 to 85 degrees average temp of 83. Hope this info has helped
: : someone. Eggs are due to hatch early next month, like very soon hehe, crosses fingers, plus she is gravid again, and should lay
: : soon. My first year breeding Fire Skinks.

: : PS I think I read about the 10 gallon tank on Dwight goods webpage. Coincidenatly I had used this before as well, I think he uses bigger containers.

: :
: : Frank Roberts

: These are last year blk rat snake eggs on the left are licorice x rusty in cypress mulch center licorice x hypos in vermiculite w/ cypress mulch and last clutch were plain hypo's in a damp towel. I had a 100% hatch rate also I use no heat source.

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: : : I use both vermiculite and sphagnum moss, I mix the vermiculite with water by grabbing it and submerging it in 82 degree water : : : (colubrid eggs) or 88 degree water (python eggs) and then squeezing out the excess water till it is moist but not water logged, I : : : then line the bottom of incubation chamber with vermiculite of this consistency, I then make a slight depression in the vermiculite : : : and for colubrids place the "pile of adherent eggs" in the depression, most eggs are not in contact with the vermiculite from : : : colubrid adherent clutches, this depression is in the middle of the incubation chamber with several inches all around with no eggs : : : just vermiculite, I then prepare the sphagnum moss in the very same manner, moist but not water logged. I then cover the entire : : : clutch of eggs with the dampened sphagnum moss so you can not see any of the eggs. Then I spray the walls of the incubation : : : chamber with the needed water at the proper temperature, for colubrids it is 82 degrees, preparation is fast and simple, water : : : can be heated with a good fish tank thermometer set in a 10 gallon tank for ideal temperature. I do not mist eggs directly and : : : also the incubation chamber usually a small rubbermaid or sterilite container has air holes all the way around the top sides, the : : : eggs are checked on to make sure they are not too humid, if found to be to humid the sphagnum moss is removed and placed : : : away from the eggs to let it dry out a little, if not moist enough the 82 degree water is used to moisten the sphagnum moss or : : : vermiculite as needed. (95 percent of the time no adjustment is necessary for the entire incubation period) I have many 100 : : : percent hatch rates with this technique and have been using it since 1981, the only others I have heard was the Loves using a : : : similar technique. I figured that in the wild eggs are usually buried in rotting logs etc..so I decided to cover the eggs and not : : : leave them exposed. Also a good incubator for colubrid eggs if you can't find the right temp in your snake room is a 10 gallon : : : aquarium with bricks in the bottom, fill with water to below bricks, take good aquarium heater (submergible) put in water set : : : temp for 82 put container on bricks with temp probe in chamber (set this up before eggs come) cover top of aquarium with : : : glass lid and presto within hours the temp in the chamber is most times 82 degrees, add water to tank as necessary. Quick : : : cheap incubator. I personally just place the colubrid eggs in my snake room at the proper temperature, I control the temp of my : : : entire room with a helix microclimate super system and have pretty consistent temps to work with. I have never had any : : : problems with fertile eggs developing fungus with my incubation system, the sphagnum moss and vermiculite are kept damp but : : : not wet at all times and the constant condensation I keep on the sides of the incubation chamber keep the relative humidity near : : : 100 percent without drying out the incubation medium. Slight adjustments are sometimes necessary, this same technique has : : : worked for lizard eggs and python eggs, just different temps are used. Fresh water turtle eggs I Incubate in sterilite bowl type : : : containers with a mixture of vermiculite, sphagnum moss, and sand mixed together and the eggs are completely buried like 3 to : : : 5 inches into the medium and incubated at the proper temperature, I have had great success with this technique as well for north : : : American turtle eggs, the turtles dig themselves out when they hatch, I haven't lost any this way yet as well, then again I haven't : : : hatched out more than 5 clutches of turtle eggs in the captive environment, this technique is based on how NA turtles burry their : : : eggs above the water line about the same distance in the ground. I am currently incubating Riopa eggs and have uncovered the : : : sphagnum and have part of the eggs exposed, 90 percent covered, the eggs are swelling a lot towards the end of incubation, : : : which I have read is normal, but I removed a little sphagnum moss to ensure they are too hydrated, ( first time clutch ) in 40 : : : days so far I have moistened the walls of the chamber only once. I am using a gallon jar with holes in the lid as an incubation : : : chamber (Costco Palmieri Sauce Jar, hehe) temps used are 80 to 85 degrees average temp of 83. Hope this info has helped : : : someone. Eggs are due to hatch early next month, like very soon hehe, crosses fingers, plus she is gravid again, and should lay : : : soon. My first year breeding Fire Skinks. : : : PS I think I read about the 10 gallon tank on Dwight goods webpage. Coincidenatly I had used this before as well, I think he uses bigger containers. : : : : : : Frank Roberts : : These are last year blk rat snake eggs on the left are licorice x rusty in cypress mulch center licorice x hypos in vermiculite w/ cypress mulch and last clutch were plain hypo's in a damp towel. I had a 100% hatch rate also I use no heat source.

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