Are these eggs fertile ?

[kezia911]

They were only laid seven days ago but do they look like they are heading in the right direction? I am having a problem with keeping the tempreture stable it seems to fluctuate from 29 degrees to 36 degrees ! Will it effect the eggs dramatically?

Egg 1

Egg 2


Egg 3

[Helen M]

Yes the temperature will effect the eggs. You certainly don't want the incubator going over 33 degrees. You really need to get it on a steady temperature as high temperatures will kill the developing embryo.

A couple of the eggs look to be going in the right direction but like I said before you really need to get the temperature under control if they are to hatch.

Helen xx

[Shelled Lady]

That's a big difference in temperature. 35c and over could end up with deformed hatchlings. What are you using to monitor the temps?

[kezia911]

I'm so upset that I just can't get my incubator to stay at the desired tempreture of 32/33 degrees I sent the first incubator back as the internal thermometer was out by 7 degrees. And this incubator appears to be just as c**p! The secondary thermometer is a digital one that I trust ( have checked it on several occasions ) tomorrow I'm going to make my own with a poly box, heat mat and thermostat so wish me luck I just hope the eggs are not ruined.
Any advice would be greatfully received x

[TillyTortoise]

What incubator are you using?

[Shelled Lady]

You will find the polystyrene box and heat mat more suitable. You will need a habistat for it as well. It will keep the humidity at 70% and temp. should be no higher than 32c. Mine keep perfect this way. Do you need any advice as to how to go about making one?

[kezia911]

Tilly tortoise I'm using a herp nursery 2.
Shelled lady any advice on making my own would be greatfully received xx

[Shelled Lady]

It's very easy. Get a large box from a reptile shop or aquaria. Make sure it has a lid. Use a large heat mat on a habistat or pulse stat. The heat mat sits on the bottom of box. Get three meal worm boxes, cut windows on two sides and then use tape to secure two thin pieces of wood on top of them, the length of the box. Sit the boxes on the heat mat and your egg box on the sticks above, now you have plenty air space under the eggs. You will need to put an ice cream container with some water in on the sticks the other end, this is for the humidity. The egg box can be left without a lid on it. Keep a couple of digital probes in the egg box, so you can always check the temperature. This should be around 31/32c for females. I would suggest you use tape to fix the stat probe in place, incase it falls out. the end of it should sit in the egg box. If you really want to be fancy, you could put a perspex window in the lid of the box. All very easy to do and much cheaper than an unreliable incubator. I hatch all my tortoise and lizard eggs this way and find it very reliable. Hope this helps.

[kezia911]

Shelled lady, thank you. I will post pictures as soon as its made

[egyptiandan64]

They all look fertile It won't be so bad as the temperature is fluctuating between 29 and 36C, it would be worse if it was staying 36C.

Danny