How to Raise Lizard Eggs That Are Alive

Lizard eggs can be incubated in a plastic container. Eggs should be placed into vermiculite or perlite, within this container. These eggs have semisoft shells and must be handled very gently. The position or orientation of each egg that is moved to the container also must remain the same as it was in the original nest. The developing embryo can be damaged or destroyed if eggs are rotated during transfer. The eggs of different species of lizards hatch at different temperatures. Lizard embryos will develop into female reptiles at lower temperatures and into males at higher temperatures. A warm room is sufficient to hatch female lizards, but an incubator must be used to hatch males.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic container, approximately 5 inches wide by 8 inches long by 5 inches deep, with lid
  • Perlite
  • Digital scale
  • Plastic plant mister
  • Water
  • Black sharp-point felt pen
  • Warm room
  • Incubator
  • Lizard husbandry manual
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the empty plastic container on a digital scale and weigh it.

    • 2

      Fill the container half-way with perlite, which is available from most feed and seed stores.

    • 3

      Place the container, with perlite, on the digital scale and weigh it again.

    • 4

      Subtract the weight of the empty container from the weight of the container with perlite. This figure indicates the weight of the perlite.

    • 5

      Multiply the weight of the perlite by 0.8. The result will be the amount of water in cubic centimeters you need to add to the perlite.

    • 6

      Add the correct amount of water to a plastic, handheld plant mister and spray it onto the perlite. The water will hydrate the eggs. As there are no holes in the plastic container, or lid, it is only necessary to hydrate the container once.

    • 7

      Dig a shallow pit in the perlite with your finger.

    • 8

      Use a black sharp-point felt pen to make a tiny mark on top of the first egg. Move the egg from the original nesting site, without changing its orientation.

    • 9

      Place the egg into the depression in the perlite. Ensure that the mark is in the same position as when the egg was in the nest. Gently pack perlite around the egg.

    • 10

      Repeat Steps 8 and 9, until the container is full of eggs.

    • 11

      Place the lid tightly onto the container.

    • 12

      Place the container on a shelf in a room with a temperature of 79 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit to produce females.

    • 13

      Place the container into an incubator with a temperature of 87 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit to produce males.

    • 14

      Open the container once a week for air exchange.

    • 15

      Check a lizard husbandry manual for the amount of days it will take for the eggs of the exact species you have to hatch. Incubating periods vary with different lizard species.