margie eggs

[Correne]

Help!

Our margies have laid eight eggs, yesterday, 10/06/05. We have removed them to a small dish. The dish is being kept warm. Have been trawling through posts in CS to find advice, but have so many questions! How long do they take to hatch? I remember reading that margie eggs are particularly fragile and some don't hatch and of those that do the infant mortality rate is high. Is this correct? Any advise gratefully received. Thanks everyone.

Love Correne

[Arno]

Correne,my Margie's eggs hatched after 25 days,with some a few days later.I kept them in the tank under a layer of coir and moss.Then after 2 weeks or so I carefully removed this and brought the babies to the surface.Normally they do this themselves but I didn't wanted to take any risks.I still have them with the adults and so far so good.When they get a bit bigger I'll give them their own tank.
Good luck with yours.

Arno

[Paul]

Congrats!!!

Margie eggs are particularly tought actually with very thick shells. This can be a problem coz the babies can't get out. Warmth and moisture are the key. Apparently, they can nearly survive free-standing water:

www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/6210/rsch.htm

But, I think yours may be suturalis, Christabel has had great success with no special care at all. Not even moisture.

paul