Chef Camille Eichorn’s students will have to wait to adopt their culinary arts classroom’s next generation of bearded dragons. Da Vinci and Mucha’s first clutch of fertilized eggs didn’t bear baby beardies, but Eichorn and her students won’t give up — and they’re asking for the community’s help.
“It’s disappointing, but it does tell me the eggs (Mucha) laid can be fertilized,” Eichorn wrote in a message. “We need a proper reptile incubator … We will try again in season.”
Eichorn, nicknamed “Mother of Dragons” at the Lawrence College and Career Center, was featured in an article in early January alongside Mucha and Da Vinci. At the time, Eichorn was monitoring a clutch of eggs under heat and observation inside a Mason jar at her home.
The beardie housed in the last egg of the pair’s first clutch stopped developing at some point, Eichorn said. She blamed the intense cold just before the holidays in December. She wrote that it was sad that “Mowgli” didn’t make it.
“He was perfectly formed in every way. Mowgli was laid to rest by our rose bush,” Eichorn wrote.
A second clutch laid by Mucha has produced another viable egg, and Eichorn asked for the community’s help in securing a donated incubator.
“As long as we track down an incubator it should be fine,” Eichorn said. “Even if it’s a chicken egg incubator as long as it doesn’t turn the eggs it would help. Dragon eggs need a constant state of 84 degrees and humidity. The cold snap really ruined everything.”
Female dragons can lay multiple egg clutches, according to the Bearded Dragon Lady. Viable eggs display veins and a heartbeat when exposed to a low-watt bulb — a process known as candling. Like chickens, unmated beardies lay eggs, too.
Eichorn’s classroom wishlist on Amazon includes a reptile egg incubator priced just under $150. She’s also accepting monetary donations via Venmo, @Camilleeichorn. Contact Eichorn via email at camilleeichorn@hotmail.com with questions or to offer in-kind donations.
Da Vinci has been the subject of a few photo shoots, and Eichorn wanted to share some of those pics with readers. Students recently made eggs and veggies for the “very chill” reptile and introduced to him to skateboarding. The pair also has a new hot tub.
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Tricia Masenthin (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at tmasenthin (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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