How long will infertile eggs last?

[jdog1027]

I have a clutch of Veiled eggs that I have had since the end of September. She had contact with a male once or twice just previously to showing signs of being gravid. It was such a short time afterwards that she laid her eggs, that I thought she might have been gravid before she was placed in with the male. I never saw them breed, but thats not to say they didn't. Just to be on the safe side, I've kept them. How long will an infertile egg last before it shows signs infertility? These look super great. They are like the size of jelly beans now, and it's been like 3 1/2 months now.

 

[beardeds7587]

usually the would show signs of caving in or mold in a couple weeks of having them what are the temps u have them at

 

[facelesdoll]

what color are the eggs white or yellowish?

 

[Lancecham]

Any pics of the eggs?
Usually eggs will shrivel up and mold within a few weeks, but that is not always the case.
Hopefully the male got the job done when you weren't looking.

 

[jdog1027]

The temps are between 70-75*F. Here is the clutch of 30 on the right next to a new clutch. You can see an obvious different in size. I know these particular eggs seemed somewhat larger than what I'm accustomed to them being, but I do think they have swelled somewhat since they were laid. I kept them just to be sure- You never know. When I was preparing my egg laying trash can last week, I unearthed 2 eggs that had been in the bucket since last September, and I had no idea they were in there!! They looked great, and the sand in the trash can had dried out completely. I took them out and stuck them in with the rest of that clutch and they have since started to turn yellow. They are also starting to get rather soft to the touch, where the others are very firm (they are the 2 eggs to the extreme right of the container by themselves). I guess that turning them over when I unearthed them possibly drowned the embryo if there was one in there. But they looked very good despite being in completely dried out sand. I guess I could cut one open when they reach a state of being past the point of no return.

 

[jannb]

I've had a few eggs with nothing in them go for over 8 months.

 

[laurie]

I've had a few eggs with nothing in them go for over 8 months.

I have also had eggs go forever. But I have had eggs hatch when I had given up so just leave them. you never know what you will get.

 

[jdog1027]

Thanks for all the opinions guys and gals- Much appreciated!!

 

[jrh3]

If they are still plump and round i will usualy keep them, even with mold. But once they shrink to a flat egg shell, thats when i toss them, i usually cut the bad ones just to see if there is anything in them, and yes sometimes there is

 

[kinyonga]

The ones in the container on the right look fertile. Its hard to be sure about the other two containers because I can't see the eggs so clearly...but they might be too.