Water ratio for vermiculite incubation substrate?

[Umbra]

So it finally happened! My female veiled laid her clutch! It took her many hours but she just finished up. I have mixed up a batch of vermiculite following the instructions of a post I read on here. Not too wet, but wet enough that a few drops drip out when squeezed. I was wondering if it should look more like mud or closer to damp sand in terms of consistency? I have found the whole “water droplet” measure to be a little difficult to ascertain as I assume im using a finer vermiculite than the poster.

 

[kinyonga]

In my experience, the coarser vermiculite is best. It’s easier to control the humidity with it IMHO.

It should definitely NOT look like mud…but be close to barely moist.

I use shoebox sized Tupperware type containers..and fill them about half full of the moist vermiculite. I lay the eggs in rows about one inch apart in all directions in thumbprint indentations in the vermiculite. I put the lid on the container…and place it where it will be for incubation. There should be drops of water form on the inside of the lid and the walls of the container.

I have never used a “real” incubator…so I can’t speak about that. I used a people’s heating pad that had three heat settings and put a screen from a window over a frame that I built over the heating pad so that the temperature in the container would be what was needed for the eggs to incubate.

Hope this helps.
Good luck with the eggs!

 

[Umbra]

In my experience, the coarser vermiculite is best. It’s easier to control the humidity with it IMHO.

It should definitely NOT look like mud…but be close to barely moist.

I use shoebox sized Tupperware type containers..and fill them about half full of the moist vermiculite. I lay the eggs in rows about one inch apart in all directions in thumbprint indentations in the vermiculite. I put the lid on the container…and place it where it will be for incubation. There should be drops of water form on the inside of the lid and the walls of the container.

I have never used a “real” incubator…so I can’t speak about that. I used a people’s heating pad that had three heat settings and put a screen from a window over a frame that I built over the heating pad so that the temperature in the container would be what was needed for the eggs to incubate.

Hope this helps.
Good luck with the eggs!

Thanks for the info! Glad I bought the big bag lol. I use the term incubator loosely since it’s just a shoebox that’ll go in my closet. I have perfect temps in my home for them!

 

[kinyonga]

Eggs in the container…
https://www.adcham.com/images/images-species/Ch.chameleon/cceggs.jpg

Egg with windows in it…almost ready to hatch…
https://www.adcham.com/images/images-species/Ch.chameleon/cchatchingandegg.JPG

 

[Umbra]

Eggs in the container…
https://www.adcham.com/images/images-species/Ch.chameleon/cceggs.jpg

Egg with windows in it…almost ready to hatch…
https://www.adcham.com/images/images-species/Ch.chameleon/cchatchingandegg.JPG

Thanks for the pics, now, I am currently in an area that got absolutely pummeled by Milton, so I was barely able to find vermiculite, so coarse Verm is off the table for the time being. Of course she decided to lay at the most inconvenient time possible in the most inconvenient place . I can get sphagnum moss and Pearlite though. In your opinion, what’s the best option?:
A. Get pearlite/sphagnum moss and make a mixture to better control humidity.
B. Use the fine verm for now and switch the eggs over later (of course marking them with lines to not rotate them)
C. Wait to dig up the eggs until I have proper coarse verm (they’re buried in the pot of her plant, in fertilized dirt, as I was in the process of repotting before the storm hit)
D. Something so wise I didn’t even consider it

 

[MissSkittles]

Congrats on the clutch of eggs! I haven’t had the honor of eggs (yet?) but I would use the perlite, moistened just enough so a squeeze barely gives a drop. No moss though. I can’t recall why not to use - just not to use.

 

[Umbra]

Congrats on the clutch of eggs! I haven’t had the honor of eggs (yet?) but I would use the perlite, moistened just enough so a squeeze barely gives a drop. No moss though. I can’t recall why not to use - just not to use.

Sounds good! I’ll go snag a bag of it in place of the fine vermiculite