Baby Time!

I dropped home at lunch today and checked on the incubator as I have been doing with increasing frequency as my expected date for the first clutch of Lolly and Beau's eggs to hatch approached.  Today my quick check came with a nice surprise.  Hatching eggs 2 days early!  2 days ahead of my calculated date at least.  Not too bad for a novice I guess.

Here are some pictures that I quickly snapped.  As of tonight there are about half a dozen that are completely out of their shells.  4 of which I have put into a separate open container on the shelves that I have set up for them.  I will leave them in there without any substrate just to dry out and lose any of the vermiculite that has clung to them.  Vermiculite is the medium I use that the eggs sit on while they incubate.  It is the grey, pebbly looking stuff in these photos.  The babies come out covered in fluid and the vermiculite tends to stick to them.  So a day in an empty tub to dry out and clean up is in order.

After a day, they will go into the 120 litre tubs that I have set up with light, heat and UV ready for them.  I have 2 tubs set up for the moment with plans for up to another 3.  Bruce is in the sixth tub at the moment while I build his new enclosure.  That leaves 5 tubs for the clutches that Lolly and Beau produce this season.  Dividing the babies up will mean the loss of less toes and tails between the siblings.  I plan to keep each clutch for around a month to make sure that when I move them on they are healthy and also to see if there are any little gems in amongst them.

For now it's time to enjoy the new arrivals!