Pics of babies hatching??

[Rebecca]

Does anyone have any pics of babies hatching?? I have a egg right now (the clutch mate of the one that died) that has a slit on the side. It's deflated but I'm worried now that it might also die. I've never actually seen them hatch and am worried, I don't know if I can handle another baby dieing on me. It's very heart breaking.

[CDN-Cresties]

How long has the slit been there? I've had a few of those happen to me. It just part of breeding cresties. Are the parents first time breeders because that may play a part or it could be something wrong withyour husbandry. Best of luck.

[Rebecca]

Well I don't know how long it's been there between last night and tonight. I usually check them every so often during the day, but did not have the chance to today. This is the 3rd clutch this year. First year though.

[CDN-Cresties]

Chances are it died. It happened to me last year, i know the feeling and it terrible. Did the prior two clutches hatch?

[Rebecca]

ya 2 are fine. One Got out and lost somewhere in my room and the othe died. I also have 2 more eggs on the go. Should I open the egg?? Will it hurt it if I do??

[CDN-Cresties]

Lift up the egg to see if it was slit on the bottom side, this is what one of my eggs did once. Make sure you dont turn the egg on its side, lift it up above your head so you can see underneath it. Personally I would just leave it alone. If the little one wasnt strong enough to break free on its own, it wasn't meant to be.

[Rebecca]

Here's a picture of it. What do you think normal so far??

[Rebecca]

It's on the paper towel because the other stuff I had it on didn't keep them moist enough. I found this better.

[CDN-Cresties]

How long has it been like that? Its up to you, you can try to help it out or not. I wouldn't but that just me. Best of luck!

[StickyToes]

I'm not so sure that I would recommend paper towel as an incubating medium. If the egg is in contact with too much water it can cause embryo death fairly easily due to osmotic pressure. The egg has a semi-permeable membrane that allows for water to be transported across it fairly easily from a higher to lower concentration. This might be what is causing your problems with hatching the babies. In essence the babies are weakened by the amount of water that is retained within the egg, and they ultimately don't have the ability to hatch.
I've honestly never seen the egg right after it has been slit because it happens so quickly that the gecko is already poking it's head out by the time I see it hatching.
Here are a couple of pics of siblings hatching.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5887Hatching-1.jpg
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5887Hatching-2.jpg
You can see the first hatchling with it's head poking out in the first pic. I put the container back in the dark for about half an hour and when i took it out again the second gecko had begun to hatch.
I don't want to sound negative, but I'd say that the chances are that it probably won't make it. Best bet though is to leave it alone and let it do it's thing.

[Rebecca]

I left it alone all night and in the morn I decided to open it and see what was going on. It was already dead. I used the peper towel with my other ones they hatched ok. I'll move my last 2 eggs though. I do have perlite and vermiculite mixed together under the papertwoel, so it's not in direct contact with water. Thanks for the help anyway.

[Gex]

Another thing about using a substrate to incubate them is that it gives the hatchling something more to "push against" to get out of the egg while it still has the energy, also I think paper towels would contribute to a bit of a drowning problem via too much pressure being built up inside the eggs. Use perlite or a high quality vermiculite to alleviate the problem.

[Rebecca]

Ya. I had that under neath but for some reason it never kept the egg moist enough. I'll figure something out. I just hope I don't kill anymore babies by my stupidity.

[CDN-Cresties]

Just follow proper incubation methods and you'll be okay. :) Do you have a scale? I find that helps to maintain the proper amount of moisture. Every now and then you weigh the container which has the eggs. If you notice any weight loss, then you just add that amount with water.

[Gex]

Originally posted by Rebecca
Ya. I had that under neath but for some reason it never kept the egg moist enough. I'll figure something out. I just hope I don't kill anymore babies by my stupidity.

Its all a learning process, don't be too hard on yourself!

[HeatherRose]

Exactly what Gex said. It's a learning process :D Vermiculite is dirt cheap, big bags are about 3$ at any hardware store so that's what I use...

PS Gex, could you change your signature to comply with the 4-line rule? :D Thanks.

[Gex]

Done.

[Rebecca]

I am hard on myself though. I don't use a scale. The sheet where I got my info (not about the PT) said that it's the right moisture when there is a slight layer kinda of humity on the sides and top. Not dripping just kinda fogged up type thing. I had it like that and they kinda dried out a bit, then I tried having it almost dripping on the sides and it still was too dry. So I tried the PT and they were perfect. I'm trying the perlite and vermiculite mixed agian. I'll just stick with it. I have 2 eggs still, here's hoping they hatch. Although I have no idea when because I stupidly through out my old calender with the lay date on it. Oh well they seem to be fine for now.

[CDN-Cresties]

My incubator is never fogged up and my incubation medium seems a bit dry but with the scale I know I cant go wrong. Its worth a shot and it makes things a lot easier IMO.

[Rebecca]

I have a DIY incubator. I used the same one to hatch all of my leos too. It's a ziplock container half filled with perlite/vermiculite, it has a thermo reader in it, and I have it set on a UTH that is on glass. I have 2 other ziplock containers under neath it so it never over heats. I just put the container either full on or half off depending on the temp I want. I hatched out like 10 leos like that and also all my cresty babies. I have it set where it does not get bothered, and I check it TONS during the day, pretty much everytime I go in my room (which is lots). So maybe that's why it's different. I've NEVER gotten a fungus or anything on my eggs, that I can remember at least. Anyway, I have been looking for a while and have not been able to find a digital scale. I can't buy off the net because I have no CC. When I do how does the weighing thing go??

[CDN-Cresties]

I bought my scale at staples. I believe it was around 45 dollars.

Check out this link from acreptiles (http://www.acreptiles.com/geckos_crested_repashy.htm) Read the breeding section. It explains it in detail.

[StickyToes]

You can also get digital scales at almost anywhere that sells kitchen supplies. Usually they are only good to the gram, but you shouldn't really need any more accuracy then that.
I personally don't even bother with an incubater for cresteds. Most of the info you read indicates that "room" temp is fine, and that fluctuating temps seem to produce stronger hatchlings. Being that cresteds can be a more heat sensitive species I really can't see too much benefit in using an incubator other then to circulate the air and trap a little more ambient humidity. Usually if you have the proper micro environment in the container they are incubating in, and check them regularly, you can maintain the proper environment without an incubator quite easily.
Right now the room I have our eggs incubating in fluctuates 68 at night and 72 during the day, and the hatchlings are taking close to 100 days to hatch. It's a much longer wait, but the 16 hatchlings we are currently taking care of keep us company in the meantime! ;)
That's too bad to hear about the other egg! Sometimes you gotta chalk the first season up to a learning experience and keep improving your methods. Keep asking questions and you'll get it sorted out!

[Rebecca]

My room's in the basement. It's just too cold for the eggs with out one. I just hate knowing that it suffered drownign or what ever it did. My BIGGEST fear is dieing a death that I suffer, it's only natural that I feel the same about my babies. Well I have learned so I guess it wasn't for nothing. Thanks for the help everyone. And hopfully some noobs out there have learnt from my mistake as well.

[little_dragon_]

I have had one still born so far. I know it's upseting but you have to think it died for a reason. It was either weak or sick and better it died in the egg then living in agony after hatching.

I keep my eggs in a wooden end table in my room where they're away frm drafts and sudden temperature changes. I mix 2 parts vermiculite with 1 part water. If it's over saturated I squeeze it like a sponge. I mist the sides of the egg box when there's no moisture on the top lid.