Post by RedDr4gon333 on Feb 27, 2005 21:30:35 GMT -5
Alright, so Oscar laid her very first clutch on Jan. 30, 2005. Today, Feb. 27, 2005 she laid her second clutch. Due to my lack of experience and my ignorance, no one from the first clutch made it. So here is a story you all should learn and love:
First off, everyone will tell you something different about incubators. I started with a homemade incubator because I was told that was the best way to do it. But then all my eggs died. So I called someone else and he told me that doing it homemade is an old, crude method and that I should buy a styrofoam incubator. So, I went out and bought an incubator. I called a guy today and told me to stick with the homemade thing. I told him I was thinking about sticking with it because after opening the box, the thing seemed a little small. And he agreed, he said that the heat element is right there ontop of the eggs and would fry them. So I went back to the homemade incubator but I redid it. Instead of using potting soil, I went out and bought some Perlite (it is like vermiculite but slightly different) and some Sphagnum Peat Moss.
Second, don't worry about crushing the eggs. I was so worried when I picked them up and that they would just go crunch in my hand. Yea, I was way wrong. I will admit I am sick, so when I saw an egg with mold growing on it, I was curious and wanted to know what's inside. It was VERY difficult to cut that bad boy open. No way you could crush one between your fingers.
Third, don't put all your hopes and dreams in your first clutch because chances are you will mess up, like I did, and something will go wrong.
Now that you all got your history lesson, now for this egg laying story!!
Oscar got out of her enclosure Friday morning because I forgot to close the door after changing their water. I did not find her until Saturday night. Normally Oscar comes out on her own and is like "ok, feed me!" I was getting very worried about her because she has not been looking too hot lately... she's been dark green and crabby. On top of that, I got a new puppy and was worried the puppy would want to play with Oscar and Oscar would tail whip her. So Friday night I looked and didn't find her, said ok, she'll come out tomorrow. Saturday afternoon she still didn't come out. Eeek. I looked some more. Still didn't find her. Saturday night I was going bezerk. I was worried out of my mind. I looked everywhere again and again. Finally found her curled up inside of a blanket. Now I had looked under and behind the blanket, but I never thought to think inside of it, so of course that's where she was. So I put her in her enclosure and offered her some food. She didn't want it. She stayed on the ground all night, then this afternoon I found her in her egg bin. So I left her alone and returned about an hour later and found her on her way out of the egg bin. So I picked her up, said yup, you're skinnier... those eggs are mine. So up came the eggs and here are the pics!
Click on the pics to see them full sized!!!
Here is Oscar after laying her eggs... Poor girl could use a day at a spa!
Hope yall enjoyed. Sorry I rambled on so much.
First off, everyone will tell you something different about incubators. I started with a homemade incubator because I was told that was the best way to do it. But then all my eggs died. So I called someone else and he told me that doing it homemade is an old, crude method and that I should buy a styrofoam incubator. So, I went out and bought an incubator. I called a guy today and told me to stick with the homemade thing. I told him I was thinking about sticking with it because after opening the box, the thing seemed a little small. And he agreed, he said that the heat element is right there ontop of the eggs and would fry them. So I went back to the homemade incubator but I redid it. Instead of using potting soil, I went out and bought some Perlite (it is like vermiculite but slightly different) and some Sphagnum Peat Moss.
Second, don't worry about crushing the eggs. I was so worried when I picked them up and that they would just go crunch in my hand. Yea, I was way wrong. I will admit I am sick, so when I saw an egg with mold growing on it, I was curious and wanted to know what's inside. It was VERY difficult to cut that bad boy open. No way you could crush one between your fingers.
Third, don't put all your hopes and dreams in your first clutch because chances are you will mess up, like I did, and something will go wrong.
Now that you all got your history lesson, now for this egg laying story!!
Oscar got out of her enclosure Friday morning because I forgot to close the door after changing their water. I did not find her until Saturday night. Normally Oscar comes out on her own and is like "ok, feed me!" I was getting very worried about her because she has not been looking too hot lately... she's been dark green and crabby. On top of that, I got a new puppy and was worried the puppy would want to play with Oscar and Oscar would tail whip her. So Friday night I looked and didn't find her, said ok, she'll come out tomorrow. Saturday afternoon she still didn't come out. Eeek. I looked some more. Still didn't find her. Saturday night I was going bezerk. I was worried out of my mind. I looked everywhere again and again. Finally found her curled up inside of a blanket. Now I had looked under and behind the blanket, but I never thought to think inside of it, so of course that's where she was. So I put her in her enclosure and offered her some food. She didn't want it. She stayed on the ground all night, then this afternoon I found her in her egg bin. So I left her alone and returned about an hour later and found her on her way out of the egg bin. So I picked her up, said yup, you're skinnier... those eggs are mine. So up came the eggs and here are the pics!
Click on the pics to see them full sized!!!
Here is Oscar after laying her eggs... Poor girl could use a day at a spa!
Hope yall enjoyed. Sorry I rambled on so much.
deal.