How gravid is my female?

[skad]

Hi

Last Sunday I bought 2 new Leo's. A super hypo male and a normal female. The guy I got them from said he didn't know their ages just that he'd had them 5-6 months and when he got them they were a 'tad smaller' then they are now. Anyway... come Monday night feeding time the male wolfed down 4 crickets but the female wouldnt bat an eyelid at th3m. So I got her out and it just so happens she is gravid. I've messages the guy asking if he knows when she may have mated or if she has already laid anyway this season as he had some eggs in an incubator. He says he doesnt know as there were 4 females and 1 male together all the time... surely he'd have noticed which gecko was laying the eggs he's incubating? Anyway I'll cut to the question. Can anyone estimate how gravid she is and I'm a little worried that shes not healthy/fat enough to cope with breeding, so any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated.


Thanks
Adam

 

[ChristinaJ]

she looks fairly close to laying, I would provide a lay box immediately...she looks very small from the picture, what weight do you have on her? If she isn't around 50 grams he chances of egg binding and having a serious issue are greatly increased.

 

[Russellm0704]

Not sure what you are trying to ask since I have never heard of levels of being gravid. But if she was with a male then yes she is probably gravid.

 

[skad]

I set up a lay box and a makeshift incubator for her on tuesday and noticed her in the lay box on wednesday night. Ill weigh her when I finish work and post it but on the advert for her it said 39 grams. which is worrying. I'm also worried she may not be old enough to breed as she's not just thin shes quite small compared to. my other female and the idiot I bought her off apparently has no idea how old she could be. Is there anything I can do to help her or lessen the risk of egg binding?

 

[skad]

Not sure what you are trying to ask since I have never heard of levels of being gravid. But if she was with a male then yes she is probably gravid.

I was asking how long do people think until she lays... sorry for phrasing it wrong, If you have nothing useful to say please don't reply to my post.

Thanks

 

[Russellm0704]

I was asking how long do people think until she lays... sorry for phrasing it wrong, If you have nothing useful to say please don't reply to my post.

Thanks

I was trying to correctly understand what you were asking so I could do my best to help you out and give correct information. But I have nothing useful to say at the moment

 

[skad]

Anyway... woke up this morning to find 2 eggs in her lay box (stuck together). I've put them in the incubator and I guess i can just hope they'll be fertile but they are her first eggs and she isnt in the best shape. She gobbled up 5 crickets this morn ill try feeding her again later any tips on getting her as healthy as poss for the next clutch?

 

[Russellm0704]

Just make sure she plenty of calcium available and feed her as much as she will eat. Breeding and laying takes a lot out of females.

 

[skad]

How much should I feed her without risking over feeding and her regurgitating crickets? Also what about getting her a pinkie would that do any good or is it better to just feed loads of crickets?

 

[OnlineGeckos]

Females will eat aggressively right after they lay, and they'll stop eating again a few days before laying. If she's going to be laying eggs and she's already under weight, look into some protein-rich feeders like dubia roaches, and some fatty feeders like superworms. These types of feeders will help her keep some of her weight up, and protein rich feeders should help with her eggs production. Be sure to also supplement her with plenty of multivitamin with D3, she needs all the vitamin & calcium she can get right now.

If you are worried about her health/age/weight, you should remove the male from her tank right away. This way it would be less stressful for her, and that the mating would stop. She'll likely continue to lay eggs for awhile.

 

[Russellm0704]

How much should I feed her without risking over feeding and her regurgitating crickets? Also what about getting her a pinkie would that do any good or is it better to just feed loads of crickets?

I would not worry about her over eating crickets. Especially while she is gravid. Breeding and being gravid is taking a lot out of her system and she needs as much as she is willing to consume. I give all my geckos unlimited mealies

 

[skad]

the male has been in his own enclosure from the start so he won't bother her lol. She ate 10 crickets yesterday and 1 so far today ill make sure to fatten her up as much as poss before the next clutch if there is one. Thanks for the advice!