Substrate and other questions

[crestedgeckogirly]

Ok, I use coconut bark in my lay box...w/a little perlite mixed in so that it stays nice and moist...I use the same thing for my cresteds.

Here's the thing...my leo eggs always end up having the dirt still attached (small amt.) when I remove them from the box. Almost like it's sticking to them. W/my crested eggs it just brushes off if it's sticking at all...but not the leo.

I'm just wondering if this will hurt the eggs at all? I'd heard that incubating in coconut bark was bad for crested eggs, so that's why I was concerned.

I don't incubate in coconut bark...I remove the eggs from the lay box and put them in deli cups filled 3/4 with vermiculite to incubate (again, just like for my cresteds)...but I'm just concerned about the remaining coconut bark that clings to the eggs. So far the eggs that were laid on 7/10 look fine, but I just wanted to ask you guys what you thought.

Am I using the wrong substrate in the lay box or something? What do you guys use?

I've tried to gently brush off the bark, but I'm afraid to do anything more at risk of damaging the eggs. They already feel like water balloons compared to my crested eggs! I'm almost afraid to touch them as it is!

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks everyone!!

-Andrea

 

[Grinning Geckos]

I brush off the loose chunks and don't worry about the rest. So far I've had 3 perfectly healthy babies. I KNOW others use the coconut in their lay boxes as well.

 

[crestedgeckogirly]

I brush off the loose chunks and don't worry about the rest. So far I've had 3 perfectly healthy babies. I KNOW others use the coconut in their lay boxes as well.

Thanks for the reply...that makes me feel SOOOO much better

-Andrea

 

[gko reptiles]

I've personally never used cocnut bark, but if you're really worried about it, we use a peatmoss/perlite mix in our lay boxes. We've hatched a little less than 100 babies this year (I think our hatch rate is around 94 or 95%), so I know it works well! Hope this helped! Best Wishes and Good Luck!!!