Hi
I have always used a peat mixture and lightly cover the tops of the eggs.
BUT while this has always worked well with both Bearded dragon eggs and
Leo's I am not have the same success with my ciliatus in hatching. Where
would I find this stone? Hve you tried it with any of the Rac's? Has anyone
else or what do the rest of you use for Rhac's?
Margaret
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon & Stacy Boone" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2000 11:30 PM
Subject: RE: [Gecko] OEDURAS/pumice
> The form of Pumice that I referred to is a crushed, natural-occurring form
> of the stone. The particles are pulverized until a size of about 4mm is
> achieved. This process results in several different-sized,
> irregular-shaped particles. When these particles are piled into a plastic
> container for incubation, they are by far more superior than vermiculite.
> I say this in accordance with my experience. The quality of each of
these
> two mediums is quite different. When Diplodactyline eggs are half-buried
> in the crushed pumice stone they apparently are in a better position for
> gas exchanges (water, 02, C02). Eggs incubating within 100% vermiculite
> are subject to radically changing moisture/humidity levels, and the gas
> exchange is also impaired. When the pumice stone is utilized, moisture
> present at lower levels (sometimes perhaps a half-inch below the eggs) in
> the container seem sufficient for proper development. In this manner the
> eggs are not directly in contact with moisture, thereby eliminating the
> possible liquid membrane that would encompass the lower 50% of the egg
> lying in straight moist vermiculite (which may interfere with gas
> exchanges, or inconsistent moisture absorption). This is already well
> understood by attentive Phelsuma keepers.
>
> I learned several years ago about the problems associated with
vermiculite.
> I had several full-term rare gecko babies die in the egg. Many of these
> babies appeared bloated - a condition perhaps aggravated by excessive
> moisture which may have caused any of the following: excessive pressure
> within the egg on the developing embryo, a general deterioration of the
egg
> tooth - due to prolonged exposure to excessive moisture (this may also be
> caused by improper supplementing), the inability to pip the egg due to
> excessive moisture/pressure between the embryo and the egg-shell, and so
> forth. Basically, I have completely eliminated vermiculite from my
> husbandry practices and have never looked back. I don't miss the product,
> nor do my improving hatch percentages. In the span of time that I have
> bred geckos, many things have evolved including the knowledge of the
> keepers and their ensuing success', products, terrariums, literature, and
> certainly the proper selections of incubation mediums. It is quite tragic
> to allow animals to pass through important breeding seasons while watching
> neonates drown from excessive moisture absorption. Sometimes these one or
> two year periods may well be the most important cycles the animals will
> live through (reproductively).
>
> Lastly, it is difficult for me to make generalizations regarding this
topic
> within a reasonable read for most other list members. In reality, there
> are several factors which contribute to the proper chain of events. Any
> weak link in this chain may ultimately alter the strength of a person's
> husbandry successes. Starting of course with proper mediums.
>
> Despite all of my rambling above, the evolution continues. I feel there
> are further superior mediums to the pumice stone.
> These I am already using with even better success, but this period has
been
> rather brief (about one year). Perhaps after another year or two of
> experience I may better support my statement regarding it (seramis,
> seramis/charcoal). Fortunately, I have seen improved success with both
> hard-shelled eggs, and soft-shelled eggs with the use of seramis.
>
> Jon
>
>
>
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