So I let my blue runner mama sit of her eggs because I thought it was just precious watcher her prepare for motherhood. I didn't think much of it since she did this last year and ended up abandoning the nest.
I went out one day to find w cracked egg and fire ants in the nest. I removed the remaining 3 eggs and used a garden shovel to get out the dirty egg so hopefully mama would come back. She did.
This morning I checked on the eggs again at feeding time and I had one pipping. It was upsidedown. I put it back in the nest right side up after a mental debate about putting in a cardboard box with a space heater and a wet rag so the ants wouldn't get it. Went back out there earlier and it was dead. About 1/4 the way hatched. She had pushed it out of the nest.
I brought the other 2 inside and now have them in a box next to a space heater and poked holes in the box then turned on the hot shower (they're in the bathroom). Put a hot ring out wash rage on top of the eggs.
Did I kill the egg by turning it? I looked up about how you're not supposed to turn eggs after 25 days and I'm thinking maybe it's my fault. I went and put ant killer on every area where I thought there were ants thinking that maybe I should just leave them outside with her but maybe I made the wrong decision.
Edited to say that I candled the remaining eggs and they are alive and moving with an air hole at the bottom of the shell.
I went out one day to find w cracked egg and fire ants in the nest. I removed the remaining 3 eggs and used a garden shovel to get out the dirty egg so hopefully mama would come back. She did.
This morning I checked on the eggs again at feeding time and I had one pipping. It was upsidedown. I put it back in the nest right side up after a mental debate about putting in a cardboard box with a space heater and a wet rag so the ants wouldn't get it. Went back out there earlier and it was dead. About 1/4 the way hatched. She had pushed it out of the nest.
I brought the other 2 inside and now have them in a box next to a space heater and poked holes in the box then turned on the hot shower (they're in the bathroom). Put a hot ring out wash rage on top of the eggs.
Did I kill the egg by turning it? I looked up about how you're not supposed to turn eggs after 25 days and I'm thinking maybe it's my fault. I went and put ant killer on every area where I thought there were ants thinking that maybe I should just leave them outside with her but maybe I made the wrong decision.
Edited to say that I candled the remaining eggs and they are alive and moving with an air hole at the bottom of the shell.
