D. desiccata ooth woes

[guapoalto049]

I've got a problem with my desiccata ooths. The first one has been incubating nearly 13 weeks now, so I cut it open to have a look. The eggs are very dark brown, but are developed somewhat. I can see tiny little arms in there, though they don't look fully developed. I incubate the ooths at ~75-85 F, and I have an inch of reptibark in the bottom that I soak every day, along with the ooths and the sides of the plastic.

I removed the ooths from a foam mesh, then sewed them onto a metal screen. The mother was mated twice with male #1, laid this ooth, was mated with male #2 once, then laid 4 more ooths. She's still going strong! Both males were her siblings, and I started with these three at L4 and got 3 nice adults all within a week of each other.

I am perplexed as to why the eggs are somewhat developed but have not hatched yet. Has anyone encountered this before?

Since the cells of the egg have clearly differentiated into growing tissue, fertilization is not the problem.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I think the problem is the moisture, they only need misting 3 at most 4 times a week, the temp seems fine, but the eggs will not develop properly with to much moisture.

 

[ismart]

I would just continue to incubate them. These guys take a very long time to hatch. I don't remember exactly how long though?

 

[guapoalto049]

Thank you both!

@Paul: I asked around a ton before this, I just can believe an ooth could take longer than 13 weeks at 80F?!

@Rebecca: Thank you, who knows this could be it. I just assumed that a place with humidity in the 70-80% range and a foot of rainfall per month would need lots of humidity?

 

[hibiscusmile]

They prob do need lot of humidity, but if wet all the time, maybe they cannot develope right. Someone just sent me an ooth back that had mold on the cup and lid and ooth, it was kept too wet with to little ventilation, I have to assume mold on the ooth would prevent a good air flow and maybe leaches into the ooth to poison the eggs, probably not your case, but does happen.

 

[hibiscusmile]

ps, the ooth can take longer to hatch if conditions are not right, maybe in case where a little to cool, but 13 weeks is a long time for this species.