The Popcorn and Tatty and Their Eggs Thread: Also new Babie

[Tatty]

This is the story of Popcorn and her daughter Tatty and the saga of her current clutches of eggs. I will be updating this thread on a regular basis so folks who are interested in breeding can following the incubation and development of eggs and hatchlings. Enjoy!!!! :mrgreen:

It all began with Popcorn and Bob. See picture above.

 

[Tatty]

Popcorn hit it off with Bob and produced a lovely clutch of eggs. See how proud she is in this picture. (Unfortunately, my loveable Bob passed away in October of 2008) Bob's legacy is living on with Tatty.

 

[Tatty]

After about 70 days at 84 degrees, Bob and Popcorn's offspring began to hatch. I don't know if one of these is Tatty or not but she is definately in this clutch.

 

[Tatty]

Here are some newborns, just hours old. One of them is probably Tatty.

 

[Tatty]

Babies are drying. Look at how cute they are!

Here is mama Popcorn with her babies!!!!!

 

[Tatty]

Tatty grew into a lovely young beardie. I decided to keep her since she was out of the first clutch produced in 2007 by Bob and Popcorn. She was special to me.

 

[Tatty]

Here is the lovely young princess looking for her prince charming.

 

[Tatty]

After Bob passed away in October, I opened up my heart and home to another male beardie named Cooper. Cooper's family didn't have as much time for him as they used to and they wanted to find him a good home. He was a wild man at first then since has settled down into a charming pet. He and Tatty fell for each other instantly when introduced. Popcorn however isn't so smitten with him. Here are pictures of the adorable little adoptee named Cooper below. Tomorrow , I will have some pictures of their first clutch of eggs along side their second that were laid on new years eve.

:mrgreen:

 

[Tatty]

Here is a picture of Cooper and Tatty looking at the HOvabator which is filled with eggs. There are 42 eggs in there altogether. Tatty laid the first clutch on November 30, 2008 and the recent clutch on New Year's Eve at 11:00 p.m. Cooper looks fat and sassy but Tatty has lost some weight after producing two clutches so I am babying her and building her up again. Her lovely orange color is camoflauged since she has been diggin in substrate. I am not sure if she will produce a third clutch right away or not. The incubator has water in the bottom in its channels and the temp is set at 84 degrees. :study:

Tatty

 

[Tatty]

:mrgreen:

Here are the eggs in all their glory. There are 42 eggs in here. The larger ones have 30 plus days of development. I am anticipating hatchlings late in January or the middle of February. So far, it looks like every egg is fertile. They all have development when candled. The eggs must never be turned once they are set or you will kill the developing embryo. The eggs are in perlite. So far, I have had an outstanding success rate using perlite in tupperware containers with a hovabator incubator at 84 degrees. This is the incubator I moved up to my office when the power went out during the horrible midwest ice storm. Then I had to move it up again last week when sewer flooded the basement. If you have any questions about the process I am using, please feel free to ask.

Tatty

 

[Tatty]

Now take a look at this close-up of the eggs. A fertile healthy eggs will gain water and grow. That is why the eggs laid on November 30 are nearly twice the size of the New Years Eggs. I will attempt to show you a photograph sometime on this thread that displays a nonfertile egg so you can see the difference. I will also try to candle one of the eggs tomorrow and photograph it so you can begin seeing the miracle of life. I hope my efforts are interesting and that this thread helps someone who wants to raise beardies.

Tatty

 

[starsurfer109]

Hi there! I really enjoy seeing your posts; it gives me hope. I'm the proud owner of two beautiful bearded dragons. Both my male and female are a little over a year old. The gentlemen my fiance and i had bought my male from found me high yellow female. We wanted to breed them and where told it was fine to house our dragons together. I actually got my female, Aruora, in mid November and thought that we wouldn't see any eggs for quite some time so imagine my surprise when I went to fix the habitat Aruora was digging up. (she had actually burried Draco,my male, into the cave created my their sunning rock!) and dug up 15 newly laid eggs! I've been kinda having a crash course on carring for them. Is there any information you have that you feel might help out the unexpectedly expecting?

Thanks.
Kaitlin

 

[Tatty]

I plan to be posting some more detailed information tonight when I get back from a day trip. I am so glad you have enjoyed the thread. I will be submitting ongoing pictures and comments throughout the incubation and hatching process.

Tatty :mrgreen:

 

[Tatty]

This is a picture of my babies from left to right: Tatty, Popcorn, and Cooper :mrgreen:

Tatty is Popcorn's daughter. Her father was Bob. Cooper shown in the far right is completely unrelated. It is best if a breeding situation is permitted to assure that closely related individuals do not mate. Tatty has laid her second clutch. Their is probably at least a 50% or more probability that she will follow up with a third clutch in 4 weeks.

If you are new to breeding, it is important to note that beardies can mate at a young age and it can happen before you know it. Beardies can be sexually mature in well under a year. They should never be allowed to breed under a year of age, better yet, two years of age. Mating takes only an instant and the females can retain sperm from one mating for at least 6 months.

You can start feeling eggs when they "drop". It is very important to give your female plenty of good nutrition and calcium supplements as her bodily reserves will quickly become depleted in egg production. You should assemble a lay bin when you can start feeling the eggs but before she starts pacing or digging frantically. Beardies may or may not deposit eggs without an acceptable "in their mind" laying site and can suffer from a serious condition known as egg retention which may result in death of not professionally resolved. For the person who had one surprise clutch, I predict another will follow in 3-6 weeks, so be ready!

The eggs should be quickly retrieved after they are laid. The mother will attempt to cover them so neatly that you may not think anything was ever disturbed. The only thing you will notice is that she is markedly skinner. At this point, I have perlite mixed with an equal part water. I want moist substrate but not wet. I put the mixture in a deli cup and then make a half depression with my finger and insert the egg with the same side facing up in the direction it was laid. Once you have place them, NEVER turn the eggs. The incubator I use is a hovabator and I make sure all the little moisture channels are filled with water and check it once per day to see if the temperature stays at 82-84 degrees and the substrate is damp.

Always calibrate your incubator at least a few days before egg laying is imminent. Too low and the embryos die and at around 90 degrees or higher, the embryos will die. Space the eggs evenly from each other and discard any that mold or dry out. Most commonly these are not fertile. I will try to take a picture of a candled fertile egg on this site to show everyone what it looks like.

Eggs can hatch in as little as 55 to as long as 75 days at about 84 degrees. More info coming this week.

See you later,

Tatty

 

[Tatty]

What I use as lay bin substrate is as follows: I part potting soil with no fertilizer to one part play sand and I dampen it so it will stick together and the beardie can dig a tunnel. 20 pounds is the amount I have used of both combined. I placed the mixture in a 30 gallon aquarium with a basking light shining over one end. The beardie will dig her tunnel over by the basket light because she feels it is the correct temperature for the eggs.

She will dig and dig. You may think she will dig to China. If she loses interest, put her back in the viv and try againwith her the next day. When laying is imminent she will have a cute little tunnel or hole dug and will sit bolt upright with just her snout showing. Mine usually kick out 18-22 eggs in 45 minutes. Wait till they are done before removal. They will give you this signal by turning in circles then starting to cover the eggs with substrate.

Carefully uncover them, put them in the substrate containers, and put them in your calibrated incubator.