Why did the CG hatch fail?

[Geck]

A couple of months ago (or maybe longer), I tried hatching my first batch of crested gecko eggs. I put pearlite in a tupperware container and added water to an even line with the pearlite. Then I poured out the water and made indentions in the pearlite by using my thumb. I made 3 in this manner and added 2 eggs each. I opened the containers a few seconds once a week to allow oxygen to enter.

The eggs showed signs of life and swelled with the lizards inside. However, they never hatched and started oozing yellowish-brown stuff. I broke open 3 of the eggs just a few minutes ago. Two had completely formed geckos inside that looked like they should have hatched; one was infertile. Since the lizards were fully developed, why did they die instead of hatching? Any ideas of what went wrong?

[Andrew Gilpin]

most likely the container was too humid and the geckos drowned in the eggs. I think this is the most common reason to have fully formed geckos that do not hatch. It's easier to keep the container slightly on the dry side and add water if you notice the eggs start to cave in from lack of moisture, as opposed to wick out excess moisture from an egg that is too wet.
It's all about trial and error.... I think out of my first 10 eggs, only 4 of them hatched after I too had it too wet for them to successfully incubate and hatch out. Now I get probably 98% hatch rate from my good eggs.

[Geck]

I was afraid it was something like that. I noticed condensatin on the sides of the containers, but wasn't sure how much was normal. I have one container that I started a month after the others, so it may still have a chance. The eggs in it have grown and are still white. I've removed the lid and am letting it dry out considerably.

[Chicubswally]

Originally Posted by Andrew Gilpin

most likely the container was too humid and the geckos drowned in the eggs. I think this is the most common reason to have fully formed geckos that do not hatch. It's easier to keep the container slightly on the dry side and add water if you notice the eggs start to cave in from lack of moisture, as opposed to wick out excess moisture from an egg that is too wet.
It's all about trial and error.... I think out of my first 10 eggs, only 4 of them hatched after I too had it too wet for them to successfully incubate and hatch out. Now I get probably 98% hatch rate from my good eggs.

So true! Great answer Andrew. I think there are so many more fertile eggs lost due to too much moisture in the medium than to the medium being too dry. Well put.

[Geck]

Okay, time for an update. Remember that one container left? Well, I let it dry a bit and a crested gecko just hatched from it. I only successfully hatched one egg, but it's the first reptile I've ever hatched and I'm pretty happy about it.