Supply Help!

[ShaunaLynnA]

Well everyone after much thought I have decided "I MAY" breed my panthers. I have been reading up on it some and things but thought I would come to my trusted expert friends. 1) What would be the best incubator to get for the eggs or how would I keep them warm? 2) Do you turn the eggs or just leave them the way you put them in the incubator? 3) What supplies "besides getting females" would I need to start this off and make it happen. Like I said I have been reading and really thinking about it but wanted to get the final help from friends from the boards. Thank you in advance for the help it is greatly appreciated.

 

[reptoman]

I do not use an incubator. Once my female laid eggs, i put them in a plastic container with around 1 1/2 inches of moist vermiculite and put the container in a drawer in the bedroon. I also got an extra digital thermometer/hygrometer so I could see the temp and humidity in the container. The eggs stay between 70 and 76F in the drawer with a little lower temps in the winter. They have gotten down to 68 but I have heard that range is good for panther eggs. I have also heard on here that the temp drop at night is good for the eggs as well. You should not have to turn the eggs at all. The best practice is to weigh the container when you first put the eggs in it, and try to maintain that same weight as some of the moisture will evaporate.

 

[ShaunaLynnA]

Thank you I appreciate the information! That dosen't sound like a bad idea to do. I don't have any females yet I am still thinking on the whole process and reading up more and more before I just decide I am going to do it.

 

[reptoman]

One thing I have noticed, when I saved the first 9 eggs, I used a Glad container which is pretty thin plastic and easy to see through. The 2nd clutch of 23 that my female laid a month later I put in a heavier rubbermaid container (more expensive too). Those 23 eggs are not growing at the rate the first 9 did although they still all look perfect and are growing. I believe the heavier container is better insulated so will probably make it closer to the nine months before hatching as opposed to the first clutch at 6.5 months. It could be that the hatch rate will improve as well. Guess I wil find out around the end of August or early september.