Need some questions answered please

SilverMoon

New Member
Messages
28
Ok I have a few questions to put my mind at ease and help me in the future.

1. I have one female and one male that breed during the season. Is it unhealthy to breed my female again and again and again? She's popping out eggs every month or so and is naturally a small girl (around 50g)

2. When she does pop out eggs I sometimes catch them too late because she never uses her lay hide (even when they are fertile) I'll check the cage a few time a week and I always seem to miss the eggs until they are dented and shriveled. How do those of you that breed keep tabs on eggs, or is it just checking the cage everyday when she looks preggers? I get so upset when I miss an egg..

3. This is my and her first breeding season and I notice her weight fluctuates a lot. Is this normal? She gets as low as 45g after laying, and can get back up as much as 56g before her next pregnancy.
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,290
Location
Somerville, MA
1. I have one female and one male that breed during the season. Is it unhealthy to breed my female again and again and again? She's popping out eggs every month or so and is naturally a small girl (around 50g)

The female stores sperm, so even if you separated her from the male, she probably would continue to lay eggs. If she can maintain her weight more or less and continues to be healthy and active, it's probably fine.

2. When she does pop out eggs I sometimes catch them too late because she never uses her lay hide (even when they are fertile) I'll check the cage a few time a week and I always seem to miss the eggs until they are dented and shriveled. How do those of you that breed keep tabs on eggs, or is it just checking the cage everyday when she looks preggers? I get so upset when I miss an egg..

If she lays outside the box, it may be too late anyway. When I have a gecko that looks as if it's ready to lay and it has a history of not laying in the box I keep putting it in the box. A really drastic solution is to get a small tank, put 2" of coco fiber or other laying substrate in the whole tank and put her in there until she lays so no matter where she lays it will be in the laying substrate.

3. This is my and her first breeding season and I notice her weight fluctuates a lot. Is this normal? She gets as low as 45g after laying, and can get back up as much as 56g before her next pregnancy.

That's exactly right. Laying 2 eggs takes about 10 grams off the female (at least in my experience) and then she gains it back.

Aliza
 

SilverMoon

New Member
Messages
28
Thank you Aliza, my biggest concern was the weight changes. Glad to know it's alright. She has never used a lay box, instead laying them on the paper towel in a hide or out in the open. They are always fertile, I guess I just need to be more alert and watchful so as not to leave them alone too long.
 

Visit our friends

Top