Incubuating eggs in Situ?

[cyberlocc]

Crazy question, but has anyone ever or read a study where someone has incubated chameleon eggs as they were laid?

IE not digging up and Removing the eggs, but leaving them to hacth naturally?

I am very curious the results of such a thing. Hatch rate, survival rate ect.

 

[kinyonga]

It's very hard to control the humidity in the area where the eggs were laid for one thing. Temperature is hard to control too.

Once again...something for you to read...
https://www.madcham.de/en/inkubation-der-eier/

 

[cyberlocc]

It's very hard to control the humidity in the area where the eggs were laid for one thing. Temperature is hard to control too.

Once again...something for you to read...
https://www.madcham.de/en/inkubation-der-eier/

Already read it.

What do you mean by control humidity? Wouldn't it just be high? Don't most folks keep the eggs in sealed containers with wet vermiculite? That would result in pretty high Humidity.

 

[kinyonga]

You asked if there was a study done about hatching eggs where they were laid...I said it's hard to control the humidity in the cage where they laid the eggs. If you leave the eggs in the cage where they were laid how can you control the humidity there in the substrate in the cage?

 

[cyberlocc]

You asked if there was a study done about hatching eggs where they were laid...I said it's hard to control the humidity in the cage where they laid the eggs. If you leave the eggs in the cage where they were laid how can you control the humidity there in the substrate in the cage?

Right but wet soil, in the hole, will be very high humidity. Like it would in a sealed bin.

 

[kinyonga]

IMHO the eggs will take on too much water if they are buried in a soil/sand substrate.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Lets do this right! @PetNcs thoughts?

 

[salty dog]

Cyberlocc, these guys are right about incubating eggs conditions, I'll show you this guy hatched out yesterday, sunday 2-16-20

 

[salty dog]

I have pulled eggs after 3 days sitting in a wet laybin and the whole clutch suffocated.. the eggs need to be mostly stable temp and defenitely humid..not to dry the eggs will crack wilt and die not too wet they will drown... flooding a viv with runoff water would drown the eggs.. the above pic is the only way I have been able to hatch eggs... I think if you could isolate the eggs in viv from runoff water, it could possibly work

 

[cyberlocc]

Lets do this right! @PetNcs thoughts?

Has Petr done natural brooding?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Has Petr done natural brooding?

haven't a clue, I just think in-field observations would add value to this conversation.

 

[cyberlocc]

haven't a clue, I just think in-field observations would add value to this conversation.

That is true . Madcham did put a name to my crazy question, so I am going to use that wording to see what I can find today as well .

I have pulled eggs after 3 days sitting in a wet laybin and the whole clutch suffocated.. the eggs need to be mostly stable temp and definitely humid..not to dry the eggs will crack wilt and die not too wet they will drown... flooding a viv with runoff water would drown the eggs.. the above pic is the only way I have been able to hatch eggs... I think if you could isolate the eggs in viv from runoff water, it could possibly work

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by run off water? In my question, or rather "Idea" the lay bin, would be a bio active soil bin. Complete with a Drainage layer. This would allow some bottom airflow to the eggs, especially if there is a drain port below the drainage layer. Temps could also be stabilized with the use of Under Tank heater.

 

[PetNcs]

Lets do this right! @PetNcs thoughts?

The strongest and biggest and most vital cbameleon babies I hatched ever were from undisturbed clutches laid in plant pots.

moving eggs and turning them and separating them when it was clearly demonstrated that they communicate and exchange water and gases and even synchronize heartbeat, seems to me like a medieval practice, time to rethink

this is my personal experience and humble opinion

 

[cyberlocc]

The strongest and biggest and most vital cbameleon babies I hatched ever were from undisturbed clutches laid in plant pots.

moving eggs and turning them and separating them when it was clearly demonstrated that they communicate and exchange water and gases and even synchronize heartbeat, seems to me like a medieval practice, time to rethink

this is my personal experience and humble opinion

Thanks for chiming in, I agree, I think allowing them to hatch naturally is likely a better way, something I would like to try as well.

Did you stabilize the pots temperatures with outside means? Or simply allow them room temp?

Did you continue to the water the plants, or leave them in the cage with the same water cycle?

What was your hatch rate using this method?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

clearly demonstrated that they communicate and exchange water and gases and even synchronize heartbeat,

Ive never heard this, where can I read more about this?

 

[cyberlocc]

Ive never heard this, where can I read more about this?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4796811/

 

[Reptofreak]

I’m considering doing this with my next batch of bearded dragon eggs. My female is in a bioactive 75g with six inches of substrate. There are various cacti in there and she laid her last clutch in the roots of the cacti. The substrate is very dry on top but moist towards the bottom (not wet) so I think that humidity will be good. As for heat I’m going to put some heat tape on the bottom of the tank where she laid last time with a temp controller of course.

I’m thinking with the bearded dragons short incubation period that this should be easily Doable.

Bill

 

[cyberlocc]

I’m considering doing this with my next batch of bearded dragon eggs. My female is in a bioactive 75g with six inches of substrate. There are various cacti in there and she laid her last clutch in the roots of the cacti. The substrate is very dry on top but moist towards the bottom (not wet) so I think that humidity will be good. As for heat I’m going to put some heat tape on the bottom of the tank where she laid last time with a temp controller of course.

I’m thinking with the bearded dragons short incubation period that this should be easily Doable.

Bill

Let us know your findings! This would be a great start, while not a chameleon egg. In this instance Data is Data AFAIC.

My idea was similar.

My thought was to build, a rack of cages.

Then to have them bio active cages, however with a twist to conventional methods. My plan was to have the "Soil Bins" be drawers, that are completely removable.

That way, the female lays the eggs in bio planted soil bin, with plants, isopods, ect. Once she is finished laying the bin is swapped for another that does not have eggs. The bin with the eggs, and plants. Will be moved into a similar sized vivarium that will have the same, heat and light as the females.

(Minus UVB, no since in wasting UVB , there will be UV lights, but they will be accessed via a switch only on when need be)

So same conditions as the females, will be provided to eggs that are "incubating". Drawers are constantly moved around as needed.

 

[salty dog]

I didn't pay as much attention to my chams for 3 - 4 days because of long work hours, one of my females layed her eggs, and I didn't know it till I had some free time, and the laybin was wet from watering...I took the eggs out they were clear mush

 

[kinyonga]

@PetNcs said..."The strongest and biggest and most vital cbameleon babies I hatched ever were from undisturbed clutches laid in plant pots" ...were the pots left in the cages or removed? Was anything done to maintain the moisture level in the soil?