OT - sorry - need incubation help

[drache]

this is totally non-garter, but I haven't gotten any response elsewhere so far, so I'm trying the more diversified folk here
just to let you know - I read the books, and they didn't cover it
you'd think an important work like "Incubation of Reptile Eggs" would give one a little more info on how to prep the substrate, and last time I tried, all the eggs went bad
how do I prep the perlite for incubating uromastyx eggs?
the Uromastyx book says to keep the substrate dry and the humidity high
that perlite is dusty
do I just rinse it?
it's supposed to have high water retention, so any amount of soaking will get it too damp, right?
I'd just hate another batch of moldy eggs - please help

[charles parenteau]

do you have small holes on the top for ventilation ???

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Hey Rhea, have you considered trying substrate-less incubation? I know a lot of snake breeders will use perlite but then will go out and buy plastic egg crate, and put it on top of the wet perlite and rest the eggs on that, so that they are suspended slightly above the substrate. That way, it does not matter how wet the perlite is, because the eggs are not touching it and so they can't actually get wet, they will simply be bathed in nice, humid air. Then on the container put on a tight fitting lid and open it every few days for some fresh air. I found that putting holes in my containers made it too dry, but I have always incubated eggs on moist paper toweling. A layer of paper towels on the bottom, then one on top over the eggs, and only mist the towels enough to keep them damp. Then I put the lid on and every few days I check on them. I had 100% success rate with that method, with snakes. Don't know how well it will work for uros!

[drache]

Originally Posted by aSnakeLovinBabe

Hey Rhea, have you considered trying substrate-less incubation?

I am definitely considering that, since the Uromastyx book says that no dampness whatever should touch the eggs (so definitely no damp paper towel), but any amount of humidity is fine

Originally Posted by aSnakeLovinBabe

I know a lot of snake breeders will use perlite but then will go out and buy plastic egg crate, and put it on top of the wet perlite and rest the eggs on that, so that they are suspended slightly above the substrate. That way, it does not matter how wet the perlite is, because the eggs are not touching it and so they can't actually get wet, they will simply be bathed in nice, humid air. Then on the container put on a tight fitting lid and open it every few days for some fresh air. I found that putting holes in my containers made it too dry

where do you get the egg crate? and won't it be too big?
I thought of just using hardware cloth, but I don't actually have any of that either

the perlite I had was so dusty that I had to at least wet it down, and truthfully - the measuring was not exact, primarily because there were some spills; it's damp
I'm thinking, just in case she pops soon I should try to dry some of it out under a head lamp or in the oven, so I've got something
the idea is to put the eggs on top of the dry perlite in an open container that's sitting in an enclosed container with water and an aquarium heater

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

egg crate also goes by the name of "light diffuser" it is that white plastic stuff with lots of small squares in it that they put over fluorescent lights to diffuse the light. The holes are quite small. If you think they would till be too big you could put down some dry paper towel on top of it.

It looks like this:

[drache]

okay, thanks
not sure where I would find that, but it gave me a few other ideas
ms Gwen the uro got hissy and snappy at me yesterday (very uncharacteristic), so I think she must be close

[MasSalvaje]

Originally Posted by drache

okay, thanks
not sure where I would find that, but it gave me a few other ideas

I hate to sound like a walking advertisement for where I work but you can find the grate at Home Depot and so I will also assume any other chain hardware store, in my area it is about $7 for a 2'x4' piece, you can cut it down to the size you need with tin snips or anything else that will cut through it. Were you able to recycle your light?

-Thomas

[drache]

Originally Posted by MasSalvaje

I hate to sound like a walking advertisement for where I work but you can find the grate at Home Depot and so I will also assume any other chain hardware store, in my area it is about $7 for a 2'x4' piece, you can cut it down to the size you need with tin snips or anything else that will cut through it. Were you able to recycle your light?

-Thomas

which department at home depot?
unfortunately, because I don't have a car I have to go to one I can get to by train, which happens to be the one in Manhattan. I swear they cater to metro-sexuals. yes, they take any amount of light bulbs (of course I forgot to bring mine), but they did not know about egg crate, nor did they know what hardware cloth is, and the screws come in prissy little packets. after what seemed like two hours in there, and getting side-tracked by stuff like stained-glass effect light bulbs, I ended up with a couple of totes, a bunch of extension cords, and a roll of screen. I am seriously disenchanted with the availability of hardware items these days

[MasSalvaje]

Originally Posted by drache

which department at home depot?

They will be with the fluorescent lighting along with the acrylic ceiling light tiles, my store has both white ones like the one Shannon posted a pic of as well as a chrome mirrored(?) finish. I don't know how big of a store it is that you are by but they should have them.

-Thomas

[jitami]

Rhea, wouldn't the screen work just as well? In our Home Depot they're back with the large florescent light box covers... you know those opaque plastic rectangles that go over "light boxes" on the ceiling? There are sheets of those standing upright toward the back of the lighting section along with the egg stuff that shannon posted a picture of. Hmmm... wonder if another name other than egg crate would help... lemme do some searching...