Incubation Help Please!

[MoonstoneKK]

I am a first time breeder and would appreciate some input on my incubation situation. I think it's working but a bit nervous as it's not a regular incubator.
I got my hovabator some time ago, and it has disappeared under boxes somewhere in the garage, unopened. My beardie girl surprised me with 14 healthy eggs and I am incubating them on peat moss/sand mixture in a 10 gallon tank, eggs on top of the substrate and inside sterilite tub with the same peat/sand bedding, mix kept at proper humidity and temps. There is a screen top, and the heat source is a 75 watt bulb on the screen which is keeping the temps right at 84 degrees F at the site of the eggies.
So far five days in, eggs are plump and look fine according to all I've read.
Anybody have a suggestion as to whether they think this will work okay, or should I do something differently?
Thanks in advance!
Kim

 

[MoonstoneKK]

I should add that only six of the eggs were firm when I moved them (yes I know not to turn them) with the others kind of collapsed looking, and they are all plumped up now. They ARE looking a little tiny bit yellow compared to when first laid. Normal?
Kim

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

Possibly a humidity issue, or they just may not be fertile.

 

[MoonstoneKK]

Too much humidity will cause yellowing? Thanks Tom

 

[spyder79]

no not enough humidity will cause problems. Yellowing is normally a sign of infertile eggs or insufficient calcium during the formation of the eggs. I take it from your post this is a makeshift incubator? How are you monitoring the humidity? And who told you peatmoss was a good substrate for dragon eggs. I have heard it used with gex but never dragons. Most use perlite or vermiculite with dragon eggs as it is resistant to mold and holds moisture well.

 

[MoonstoneKK]

Ok so now my question is do I dare carefully remove the eggs and re-set the substrate to perlite? I think I can do it gently.
The local stores were out of perlite/vermiculite and I needed to get these eggs bedded down quick. As to calcium, she should have been ok as I dust my crix daily. We'll see....
Thanks!!
Kim

 

[MoonstoneKK]

Oh I have a hygrometer in an exact same sterilite container next to the eggs in the same stuff. Had it in with them for a day not touching, and it read ok.
Not being fertile might not be a surprise, first clutch on this girl.
Hygro reads about 70%, correct?
Learning along here.

 

[MoonstoneKK]

Got my hovabator and waiting for it to settle in on temps now. Safe to transfer the eggs from the home-made rig at 12 days or risky??? Input appreciated.
Thanks!
Kim

 

[spyder79]

Yeah itll be fine just be careful dont jostle them too much.

 

[MoonstoneKK]

The hovabator wants to stay around 88, having trouble lowering it with the screw. They've been more around 84 in the homemade rig.
ALSO am I supposed to dampen the hatch-rite a bit or put the eggs in as it is? Thanks so much!
K

 

[spyder79]

if you can squeeze a handful of it and only produce a drop or two its fine. If you cant produce a single drop add a bit of water.

As far as the temp 88 is too hot. they need low 80s the highest i have ever incubated was 86 i know 2 degrees doesnt seem like much but it is in the incubation process.

 

[MoonstoneKK]

Yes ok will keep trying to get the hovabator settled in at a better temp, it seems to want to run hot at the moment, maybe cause it's new...
THX

 

[spyder79]

it can take quite a few turns to get it to lower as well. It takes more than a few twists to tweak it to where you want it.

 

[MoonstoneKK]

I'm happy now, it went down to 84. You're awesome thanks for the help!

 

[spyder79]

now make sure you let it sit for a hour or so before you place eggs in it. make sure you fine tuned the temp control