How do people get thier eggs so clean?

[KatiLemons]

I have been wondering how people get their eggs so clean after they are dug up from a laying bin? Every picture I see the eggs are fairly clean when in whatever substrate is being used.... perlite or hatchrite, vermiculite ect. Can you clean the eggs off with water? I am always to afraid to really wipe them or move them around a lot once we dig them up. Would live some pointers on what people do to their eggs before they are put away for incubation?

 

[NHenn]

I don't clean my eggs besides gently brushing off any loose dirt. I wouldn't recommend washing them with water.

If you use sand as you main medium for the laying bin, they will come out fairly clean over something like topsoil.

 

[fluxlizard]

Sometimes my eggs aren't so clean- I use dirt from my yard usually for laying medium. If it is a little on the damp side- it's a little muddy- we have lots of clay. So then the outer eggs in a clutch will have some dirt smeared on them. It's no big deal- gently brush your eggs off but don't go for super clean. There is a thin membrane on the shell that you don't want to damage or you make the egg vulnerable to mold and bacteria. Better a dirty in tact membrane, than to "clean" it off...

 

[Rottsko]

mine are not clean. the eggs that are in the middle of the clutch are clean bc they're not touching the substrate. but the ones on the outside always have sand on them. it's not a big deal, i don't clean them off at all, i just place them in the egg bin.

 

[ataraxia]

If you want nice pearly egg, sand will solve this issue

 

[KatiLemons]

Ok. Thanks for all the input. I just wondered if I was missing out on something!! We will have to try the sand next time. I generally have felt that getting the eggs directly into the incubating containers is the the safest and that the dirt wouldn't necessarily hut them. I do notice a difference in the colors of the entire shell with the eggs that have more dirt on them. Almost a grey transparent shell and the cleaner eggs are white.

Now with the sand as a laying substrate. Is it just wet sand or do you mix anything with it for a certain consistency.

 

[ataraxia]

I use play sand from local hardware stores. When you open a brand new bag of sand. No need to mix anything but possibly a little water to keep it moist (dig a test hole cave at an angle and go deep...See if it is moist enough to allow this to be done without it caving in. Note: If you do add water make sure you do not have a pool of water at the bottom.). "Typically" it shouldnt need anything from a new freshly opened bag. Its perfect

 

[TCMontium]

Can i use fine aquarium sand to put into the laying bin instead of play sand? There is no play sand in our country.
It is the aquarium sand i mentioned :

 

[ataraxia]

not completely sure as I have never tried it but would think aquarium sand would be ok. I used aquarium sand in with my cichlids and it appeared to be close to that of play sand just a little finer.

 

[Grumpy]

Yes that sand is perfectly fine.

 

[TCMontium]

Thanks!
I could not find play sand anywhere. I was going to be crazy. I hope she will like fine aquarium sand.

 

[JackJack]

We use vermiculite mixed with potting soil (our girls lay in large planted pots) as it seems to be a little more resistant to getting in their eyes than sand and is lighter in case of cave-ins while digging. That being said, lots and lots of people, including myself have used clean sand successfully.