She laid one egg!

[INCA]

She was bred 26 days ago. shes been diging and diging for bout a week and i tried moist dirt,sand, you name it.. well when i was checking up on her there was a fertile eggg there. what can i use to make her lay? I sorta need a fast response!!

Thanks

 

[midnight_962002]

How did you set up your lay box? Flat moist dirt usually won't do it.

If you angle the moist dirt so that it is on a 45 degree angle from one end of the bin to another and make sure she can't see out of where she digs she should have no problem laying. Make sure you pack it tightly so she can tunnel into it. My girls totally disappear into the holes the dig.

Her laying one egg is letting you know that she is ready but, she doesn't like the options you have given her. She may dig for a day or two and lay.

Ernie

 

[beardedwizard]

Yep I agree with Ernie, she's ready to lay the rest of her eggs and she will continue to lay one egg at a time until she has the right conditions to lay in... So get your lay box set up ASAP!

Anthony

 

[INCA]

well last year she laid in a small 6.5 quart rubbermaide..i put in moist vermiculate the same which she did last year and still nothing. should i get a fairly larger container and fill it up wit vermiculate? Does she need a light to lay?

 

[beardedwizard]

well last year she laid in a small 6.5 quart rubbermaide..i put in moist vermiculate the same which she did last year and still nothing. should i get a fairly larger container and fill it up wit vermiculate? Does she need a light to lay?

Here's what I use:

• 
  30 gallon grey tupperware/sterlite container from Home Depot - $7
  1 bag of all natural top soil from Home Depot or Garden Center -$8
  You will need a 40 watt spot light bulb with brooder lamp - $13 (Both can be purchased from Home Depot for $4-$5 each)

Now you will need to moisten the top soil to until is very damp but not wet... I like to create a 45 degree hole in one corner of the container, and I place the female head first into that corner. Her instincts will take over from here provided the top soil or sand is warm enough. Don't use vermiculite it's not that good for digging, and it's expensive compared to sand or top soil in large quanities... So save the vermiculite for incubation of the eggs...

Before the female is placed in the lay box you need to cut a hole in the top of the lid so the 40 watt spot light can shine down inside of the bin for warmth... I cut my holes just slightly larger than the diameter of the bulb, and the brooder/lamp fixture will rest on top of the lid...

Once that's all set, your female will dig for up to 2 hours before laying... But if she's not to picky she will lay almost immediately after finishing her first hole. Now she may dig "test" holes, where she might lay 1-2 eggs on one hole, and decide she doesn't like that hole. Then cover those eggs up and move on to another hole where she might lay the remainder of the eggs. So be sure to check all of the corners of the bin before deciding you have all of her eggs. I like to use a spoon to dig up the eggs...

Best of luck,

Anthony

 

[Rosebud]

Anthony, do you cut a hole in the side of the container so that she can go in and out? I am having a similar problem with Bella. She only laid 4 eggs 4 days ago, 2 on the cage floor and two in the makeshift lay box that I threw together. :?

 

[beardedwizard]

Anthony, do you cut a hole in the side of the container so that she can go in and out? I am having a similar problem with Bella. She only laid 4 eggs 4 days ago, 2 on the cage floor and two in the makeshift lay box that I threw together. :?

You can cut a hole on the side if you want to put the container inside the cage, but I just remove the female from the cage and put her directly into the closed bin full of top soil. This way they are not distracted and get right down to business... It's one of the simplest, yet effective ways to have your females lay!

Anthony

 

[INCA]

one of my females laid but not the original female. i used beardedwizard method and got one female to lay and thats all.. she laid 18 half inch eggs.. they seem a LITTLE defleated.. is that normal or will they fill up in a day or so??

Thank you for alll your help

 

[INCA]

can anybody help?

 

[beardedwizard]

can anybody help?

Posting a picture is the only true way to determine if the eggs are fertile or infertile... They sound a little small, but every female is different, and so may be her egg size...

If they are tan and collapsed then chances are they are infertile, if they are very white and plump they are fertile...

Anthony

 

[INCA]

Heres a pic of the 19 eggs:

 

[beardedwizard]

Sorry buddy, they look all infertile to me... If you can take a few close up shots of the eggs I can tell you for sure!

Anthony