Egg Laying

[Samantha12]

So I woke up this morning to find 2 eggs (flimsy, unfertile looking ones) inside the hot hide with my redstripe female (who I did NOT breed) kicking at them. I thought originally that they belonged to my diablo blanco (who DID breed). I was disappointed, because they look like duds because they're all flimsy and yellow and layed outside the laybox, but it's her first breeding season and I know that's normal. However, I looked at my DB and she's still fat. I looked in her stomach, and it appears that plump eggs are still in there. I looked at my redstripe again and she looks pretty thin (she's always been thin, which is why I chose not to breed her). I knew she'd been ovulating, so I looked at her stomach and only see one ovulation, when she did have two before. Do y'all think she layed the eggs rather than my DB? Will she keep laying infertile ones or is this usually a one time thing? Could smelling that the male had been in the tank triggered the production of eggs?

 

[Samantha12]

Also, the eggs looked smaller than normal ones. I threw them in my incubator just because, but I really think my red stripe layed them. I'm just concerned she'll continue laying... she's really too small IMO, especially for being 4 years old. Only like 37 grams, despite my attempts to fatten her up, including putting her in her own tank for months with no success.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

It's always possible that a female could lay infertile eggs. Sometimes their body would absorb them, sometimes they just simply lay them. It's a good thing too, the last thing you want is for them to be egg-bound.

But you are doing the right thing, incubate until there's no debate. You never know, so incubate until you are sure. Keep supplementing that female, give her well gut-loaded feeders and well dusted with multivitamin w/ D3. If she's indeed producing eggs, it'll use up her stored fat, protein, and calcium.

 

[Samantha12]

It's always possible that a female could lay infertile eggs. Sometimes their body would absorb them, sometimes they just simply lay them. It's a good thing too, the last thing you want is for them to be egg-bound.

But you are doing the right thing, incubate until there's no debate. You never know, so incubate until you are sure. Keep supplementing that female, give her well gut-loaded feeders and well dusted with multivitamin w/ D3. If she's indeed producing eggs, it'll use up her stored fat, protein, and calcium.

Do they usually just lay them once, or continue doing it as geckos with fertilized eggs do? I'm worried for her health. She seems alright other than the skinniness, but I don't think she could handle it every 2-4 weeks...

 

[OnlineGeckos]

Laying infertile eggs is quite random, I wouldn't worry too much about it unless she starts bulging and looks to be laying again. I would say most of the times their bodies would reabsorb them.

I'm guessing due to ovulation she's also not eating much either? That probably doesn't help with her weight. But if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. Can't really stop her from producing eggs if her body does it.

 

[Samantha12]

I keep a track of my all geckos' eating and none of the 2 girls in the 40 gallon (my gravid DB and the redstripe) have eaten all week. My redstripe is very picky about her food; has to be crickets or hornworms, and it isn't unusual for her to skip a couple feedings. I feel badly though because I haven't been supplementing her like I have been with my gravid girl, and she needed it just as much, if not more! I weighed her and she's down to 27 grams she ate 6 crickets this morning and I'm going to feed her again when I get home. I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on her. Hopefully this was just a fluke and she doesn't lay anymore...