EGGS

[barry316]

I use coc fiber in my lay box. The last egg that Hatched was fine. The 2 eggs that are cookin at the moment have a good lot of coco fiber on them and mossy kinda stuff is growing on it.(The eggs may have gone bad). The coco would be moist and the coco is going to stick to the egg. What can I use in the future to get coco fiber off the egg.

 

[Srt14292]

maybe a tiny pair of tweezers, or try switching to vermiculite in your lay box.
Maybe even some sphagnum moss.

 

[acpart]

If the eggs are good, it shouldn't be a problem for there to be some coco fiber on them. Vermiculite is an option, though at one point I was using it and my male was eating it and pooping it out the other end.

Aliza

 

[Gregg M]

In my experience, it is always best to clean the surface of the egg before putting it in the incubation container... You want your eggs to absorb as much oxygen as possible...

A damp paper towel will work fine to gently wipe away any extra substrate... Be sure not to rotate the egg...

 

[barry316]

Thanks guys

I was thinking Vermiculite but can you keep the lay box moist???

Will a damp towel (Damp not wet) damage the egg with the egtra water on it? I think not but have to ask?

 

[Gregg M]

Dont bother using vermiculite in a lay box... Coco fiber is a very good lay material... A DAMP paper towel to gently wipe away extra coco fiber will not damage your eggs...

 

[MonkeyBean]

Just like Aliza, I had previously used Vermiculite in my lay box, and my geckos were eating it. Luckily, there was no problem with impaction for either gecko, and it all came out the other end just as it went in, but I'll pass on Vermiculite in lay boxes from now on. Gregg has it right, Coco Fiber is just fine. Don't kill yourself (or the eggs, haha) trying to get every bit of Coco Fiber off of the eggs, just do the best you can. Oxygen exchange is the goal though! Good luck!

Cheers,
-Matt

 

[Imperial Geckos]

i used to use vermiculite for my fat tail gecko lay box's but the humidity would cause the vermiculite to stick on the geckos and it was just a huge mess...i personally like either peat moss or eco-earth (coconut fiber)