Veiled egg Incubation Help needed.

[jrh3]

Can anyone give me some pointers on veiled eggs, best temp, best type of hatch material to put them in, best size container, Hovabator or no hovabator, vent holes or not, and so on. I really want someone with experience and not just a, well the book said to....

 

[CleaTheChameleon]

Best temp-Room temperature Ideal is 76-78 or 79F

Best type of hatching material-Vermiculite or Hatch rite. A lot of people say they like vermiculite more and so do i.

Best size container-A shoebox or a storage bin. Maybe a foot long and about 5 inches wide and 6 inches tall. Just like a clear shoe box.

No hovabators. You can if you want but you don't need to spend the money and you can still hatch babies out.

Vent holes-Yes. These need to be on the bins lid. At least 3 or 4 holes. Dont make them to big though.

 

[BocaJan]

This is how I do it. When the eggs are laid I dig them up and nest them a bit in damp vermiculite. When you are preparing the vermiculite get it good and wet then squeeze the water out until you get only a drop. If you have made it too wet you can always add a little more dry vermiculite. I then take a plastic shoe box with a pin hole poked in each side of the lid, put about 2 inches of the wet vermiculite (even 2 1/2 is good) and nest them. That means don't just lay them on top but make a little poke with your finger so the vermiculite comes up about 1/2 way on the egg. I do that to help them to not dry out. I use a plastic spoon to place them in their little nest because I don't want to transfer any germs from my hands to the eggs. Oh yes, it is a good idea to wash your hands well before handling the eggs.

I live in So Fla so my house is always at 75. I just put my eggs on a closet shelf and don't bother them. After a few months I check them to see if any have molded and remove those. I also check the vermiculite to make sure it is still moist.

Only thing else to do is wait for the eggs to sweat, collapse a bit, pip and hatch.

 

[jrh3]

if i keep them in my closet and not in the hovabator, my house gets about 76 in the day and down to about 69 at night, would this temp be ok. Also if i do use a hovabator do i have to do a nightly drop in temp.

 

[BocaJan]

It's up to you but if you keep your house a fairly regulated temp winter and summer I wouldn't worry about them. Keep a thermometer in the closet and use an interior closet so outside temps don't disturb the wall temps. If you have the money for a herbovator??? I guess you can spend your money as you see fit, but eggs in the wild have temps that change even underground.

 

[jrh3]

do veileds really need a night drop, and time is coming incubator or not incubate. If i use a closet temps could reach low as 65 and high as 85 will this be ok.