Egg Predation question

[Riven67]

I did not really know how to phrase this question because it is an offbeat topic I wish to discuss.

Ok let me start from the beginning. My Veiled Cham just laid her very first clutch of infertile eggs. 60 in all, small leathery eggs. She worked so hard to dig and lay them then cover them up it seems such a waste to throw them away. But they have no value do they? And that brought me to my next thought, in the wild there usually are predators that will eat Chameleon eggs, right?
So I wondered what they might be. Though finding out what might eat them is not the end all of my thought process. I also have Bearded Dragons, and while I do not think they would eat the eggs, I am always trying to improve my husbandry for the sake of all my animals health. So would these eggs be of any value to some other type of reptile or snake? I mean eggs are full of good things and fat, probably all stuff better suited for a reptile then any other food. At least it might for younger reptiles but might not be suitable for older ones that need less fat and have slower metabolisms.

If there are any biologists or naturalists in the forum that might want to take a crack at answering some of these questions or hell anyone that has anything to add please hit reply.

 

[jannb]

I have heard of people feeding them to their feeders (roaches) but I have never done so myself. I would think you might need to crack them (put a slit in each one) for the feeders to be able to eat them.

 

[Carlton]

But they have no value do they? And that brought me to my next thought, in the wild there usually are predators that will eat Chameleon eggs, right?
So I wondered what they might be. Though finding out what might eat them is not the end all of my thought process. I also have Bearded Dragons, and while I do not think they would eat the eggs, I am always trying to improve my husbandry for the sake of all my animals health. So would these eggs be of any value to some other type of reptile or snake? I mean eggs are full of good things and fat, probably all stuff better suited for a reptile then any other food. At least it might for younger reptiles but might not be suitable for older ones that need less fat and have slower metabolisms.

Because herps and birds can pass on salmonella you might not want to feed uncooked eggs to other pets. Most snakes we keep in captivity don't eat eggs that I know of. You could possibly use them to fertilize house or garden plants.

I'm sure rodents and other mammals, terrestrial birds, and lizards search for buried eggs in the wild. Monitor type lizards are major nest predators and good diggers.

 

[Riven67]

Because herps and birds can pass on salmonella you might not want to feed uncooked eggs to other pets. Most snakes we keep in captivity don't eat eggs that I know of. You could possibly use them to fertilize house or garden plants.

I'm sure rodents and other mammals, terrestrial birds, and lizards search for buried eggs in the wild. Monitor type lizards are major nest predators and good diggers.

Good point about salmonella, I will have to research it more. Really at this point is it more out of curiousity then anything else, my Dragons are well fed on a variety of live foods and greens. They are not suffering or lacking for anything.
I thought I read somewhere that reptiles could not get sick from salmonella but could only be carriers.

Oh well thanks for the comments, keep em coming. I suppose if I had baby monitors they would eat them with no second thoughts.

 

[Olimpia]

I did used to give my savannah monitor a couple infertile eggs when they were freshly laid. He definitely seemed to like them.