Will these eggs be viable?

[shrink9]

OK, so it's a live-and-learn hobby, right?

I did a bang-up job preparing a bucket for my little girl (Nosy Be). She must have approved because she layed 22 eggs in it yesterday.

My question is this: I apparently used too much water when I prepared the soil/sand mixture. After she dug her hole and layed the eggs, the water must have seeped into it. Will the eggs still be viable?

I thought that I was being conservative about the amount of water I used, but I never thought about this. She did lay 9 of the eggs on top of the soil and apparently she made more than one hole as I found eggs in 3 different places.

Any ideas? What is the likelihood that those eggs that got so wet will survive?

I now have them on dampened vermiculite where they won't get so wet again.

Thanks.

Allen

 

[Cameochams]

If you put them in the vermiculite right after she laid them then they should be fine. Keep a sharp eye on those eggs. You will know within a few days if there is to much water in the vermiculite because the eggs will start to mold. You don't want that to happen.

 

[kylerenz]

General rule of thumb is you never give up on any eggs until it is obvious that they have gone bad. I agree that as long as you removed them fairly quick and put them in the vermiculite, they should be fine. Make sure to monitor them and all the other eggs for mold depending on your ratio of Vermiculite/water. I think it is supposed to be 1.0/0.7. Don't quote me that is off the top of my head. Generally I soak the vermiculite and then drain it out. After that you can do a squeeze test. You shouldn't be able to squeeze any water out of a handful. Sorry that I got a little of track. It seemed to be a pertinent and logical progression.

 

[Kevin1873]

Geez, ratios, consistency, mold worries. Makes you wonder how any chameleon's ever hatch in the wild. All I've ever seen on video's is the female finds a place to leave her eggs, digs a hole, lays them them then that's it. Maybe they have some sort of beacon that detects perfect soil/moisture ratio or something. lol But I understand you definitely want as many eggs to hatch as possible but it just seems like too much trouble. Almost seems easier just let the female find a place in the backyard to bury them and let nature do the rest.

 

[stevereecy]

OK, so it's a live-and-learn hobby, right?

I did a bang-up job preparing a bucket for my little girl (Nosy Be). She must have approved because she layed 22 eggs in it yesterday.

My question is this: I apparently used too much water when I prepared the soil/sand mixture. After she dug her hole and layed the eggs, the water must have seeped into it. Will the eggs still be viable?

I thought that I was being conservative about the amount of water I used, but I never thought about this. She did lay 9 of the eggs on top of the soil and apparently she made more than one hole as I found eggs in 3 different places.

Any ideas? What is the likelihood that those eggs that got so wet will survive?

I now have them on dampened vermiculite where they won't get so wet again.

Thanks.

Allen

Yes, if the eggs are viable, they are good no matter how much water was in there. This is not a guess.

 

[shrink9]

You all are very helpful--and encouraging. I usually take great care of my animals--all of them (Chams, fish, shrimp, guinea pigs). I try very hard to learn husbundary so as to minimize distress (theirs AND mine). I was really sad when I saw the water in her tunnel. I am going to watch the eggs and cross my fingers.

Thanks for all the input.

Allen

 

[stevereecy]

You all are very helpful--and encouraging. I usually take great care of my animals--all of them (Chams, fish, shrimp, guinea pigs). I try very hard to learn husbundary so as to minimize distress (theirs AND mine). I was really sad when I saw the water in her tunnel. I am going to watch the eggs and cross my fingers.

Thanks for all the input.

Allen

Uncross them. The eggs are fine. I had an "accident" that involved new eggs being underwater for days on end. Those that we're underwater were floating in the container. All viable.

Steve

 

[shrink9]

Thanks for the encouraging words, Steve.

 

[shrink9]

Ok, It's Thursday night and so far, no mold is noticeable on the eggs--they all look great (fingers still crossed, Steve). I would be VERY happy if they made it to hatching. I'll keep you posted.

Allen

 

[AFH]

2 down 240 more days to go...

 

[shrink9]

No signs of fungus or mold. So far, so good!!!!