Melonia layed her first clutch!!!

[fox3060]

Hey guys and gals,
Well I got what I would call a bit of a surprise the other day... A few months ago I built a partitioned cage for both my male and female cams, saves me space to put them in the same cage. Some how my girl (melonia) ended up on tango's side and I noticed a bit mark on her neck.
No color change, until a few weeks past then she displayed dark colors with the tell tale yellow blotching, I figured she had been inseminated when the two were together.
A few months past and I noticed her a little antsy and uncomfortable, moving all around and wouldn't stay put, so I ran to PetSmart and picked up some sand and coconut bark and whipped up some egg laying substrate. I had it in her cage for a while and she could care less.
Well this past weekend she exhibited the same behavior so I tossed in the laying sand again, sure enough she dug for a day and a half and deposited 39 little eggs.

Now my questions start:
1) I've heard of chams naturally producing egg clutches as a part of life cycle, however do they show fertile colors with just black clutches?

2) Currently I have the eggs in a tupperware container ~2 inches deep, half full of the egg laying sand with the eggs on top, I've misted them once (lightly), and their temp is at about 72. ( can I just leave them like so misting them once in a while till they hatch?

3) How much time needs to pass to determine if in fact these are viable eggs, and how will I be able to tell?

4) So many egg threads, any recommendations on the best egg care thread?

Thanks everyone, and I'm really hoping these little buggers hatch.
T

 

[Rocky]

congrats. now comes the wait.. good luck!

 

[coultrain]

hello congrats. but take the eggs off the sand and get some vermiculite. and second never spray or put water derectly on the eggs it starts mold and bad stuff. after a couple months you can probly candle them to see if there fertile.

 

[Sancho]

Congrats on your little eggs!

 

[fox3060]

hello congrats. but take the eggs off the sand and get some vermiculite. and second never spray or put water derectly on the eggs it starts mold and bad stuff. after a couple months you can probly candle them to see if there fertile.

where can i get vermiculite?

 

[Sancho]

where can i get vermiculite?

http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=1248 I'm also sure any local petsmart or petco have it also.

 

[BocaJan]

Lowes has vermiculite in their garden supply. I have never been able to find it in stock at Home Depot. When you find it, make it moist enough so if you squeeze really hard you may be able to squeeze out a drop of water, but the vermiculite will hold together a bit. Then, put it into a plastic shoe box with 2 thumb tack holes punched in the lid. I punch a hole at each end. This is for just a bit of air current. Place the eggs into it in the exact position as they were in the other stuff. Do not turn them over. Up is up is up. Put a finger print in each place you are going to lay the egg so when you put the egg in it has a little "nest" to sit in. Then, put the top on and hide your box away in a closet. My closet is in the middle of the house and stays about 75 degrees all the time. You can check the box once a week if you must but keep the top on the box. It is ok if a bit of moisture forms inside on the box, but if it looks really wet leave the top off for a day so it dries out a little. If after a few months the vermiculate feels dry when you touch it, take a dropper and drop a little water around the outside edge of the vermiculite, being careful to NOT get water on the eggs. Then, put the top back on and wait and wait and wait.

 

[laurie]

that wait, and wait and wait? I have my first cluych of veiled eggs, I expected them to hatch in 6 months, on 2/5. One went bad so I looked and they are still a month or more away!!! the waiting goes on & on & on. Goodluck

 

[fox3060]

I checked on my eggs today and it looks like a couple of the small/undersized ones are turning that dark yellow color as if they're hardening up, just a few though.
How soon should I be getting ahold of the vermiculite? Will the sand suck all the moisture out the eggs, will they be okay till tomorrow or Sunday. Also how often should I be checking on them, I'm afraid that I'm being too paranoid and I'm going to do more harm then good....

 

[BocaJan]

You should have purchased it already! Moving the eggs isn't healthy for them. Don't wait! Vermiculite isn't expensive at all, only a few dollars.

Is there any reason that she can't move them over the weekend? I am not sure since I always dig up my eggs and have the vermiculite waiting for them.

 

[fox3060]

I wasn't anticipating that she was going to deposit. I'll get the vermiculite and make their final move tomorrow. I'm just a bit worried thats all... Thankx

 

[fox3060]

Okay, finally found some vermiculite, after running around from Loews to Home Depot, to all the other local pet stores. Placed all the eggs (with out turning them) into little finger indent nests. I soaked the vermiculite then poured it all out on to a dish towel and wrapped it then twisted all the water out of it.
Now I've got them nestled in the closet where it should stay a steady 68-72 degrees.... Sound good?
Thanks.