New to Breeding Geckos, lay box and feeding q''s

[kaitala]

Hi, All! I've been lurking and reading, but haven't posted before. I have a few questions:

I have a gravid female. She last shed 2/28/10. On 3/1 her weight was 55g. I haven't taken her weight since. I removed her to clean the cage today, and don't know if I should take her out again for a weight or if that's more stress she doesn't need (please advise). She's not eating. My husband thinks she's looking like she's using her tail reserves, but I'm not sure she's that much skinnier in appearance.

1. I have a sphagnum moss hide for a moist hide. I was under the impression that she'd use that to lay in. I've found it all torn up a couple of times but no eggs. At her former owner's, she was kept the same way I'm keeping her, and laid just fine. Should I switch to a peat lay box as well?

2. She's off feed. Is she close to laying? It looks as if she's using her fat reserves, should I be doing something differently? She ordinarily eats a pinky a week (former owner fed that, recommended I keep doing so) and eats crickets, supers, mealies, etc. No interest in any of it now. However, she IS eating the calcium.

3. Would removing the male be helpful at all? If she has always been kept with him, would it be more stressful to remove him?

Thanks in advance!

 

[RampantReptiles]

When females are bred they do use up some fat reserves but you want to try to prevent this as much as possible. It sounds normal that she is not eating and weighing her would just cause additional stress.

1. Sounds like the lay box is fine and if she is taring it up then she may be getting ready to lay soon. Just keep checking for eggs and keep it moist.

2. I would only give her a pinky after laying and weekly pinkies is waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy too often. Keep offering the other items and a pinky once she lays.

3. Yes remove the male. Although it shouldnt stop her from laying he may be causing unnecessary stress. Men just always get in the way!

I would only be concerned if she goes without laying for 5+ weeks and keeps losing a lot of tail fat.

 

[kaitala]

... Men just always get in the way!

LOL!!!

Thanks for all that. I'll set up some other accomodations for Poppa Sam. I'll be back if things don't improve, or hopefully, with news and pics of eggs!

Just to confirm, SPHAGNUM is fine for a laybox? It's not PEAT. I guess it can't hurt to put an extra box of peat in anyway.

And hubby was angry with me because Former Owner fed pinks once a week, and the female "looked a lot better" when she came to us, (note, the male is as fat and happy as ever), and said "that's what she's been doing, I don't understand why you think you know better". He doesn't get that I don't think *I* know better, I think *you all* know better.

Just because someone has been doing something one way for a long time, and the animal hasn't died, doesn't mean they have been doing the BEST for the animal.

 

[RampantReptiles]

Im pretty sure sphagnum is fine, I have seen geckos use it to lay but peat might be better. I myself use coconut fiber and dont have a lot of experience with other things.

It would probably be better to have something that they can dig in, they like to dig and bury eggs. Sphagnum isnt really "dirt like" and may not be the preferred lay box medium.

 

[kaitala]

Well, here's what I found this morning!!!

Guess she was a little preoccupied to eat! The egg was rather leathery, shell not firm at all. It's in the incubator at about 86 degrees. We have beardie eggs in there, too.

If the egg was soft and leathery, is there something wrong? The sphagum too wet? Laid right before I found it? Not enough calcium?

Thanks for looking, and thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[sammer021486]

LOL!!!

Thanks for all that. I'll set up some other accomodations for Poppa Sam. I'll be back if things don't improve, or hopefully, with news and pics of eggs!

I do agree with the others that if the female is dropping a lot weigh or appears to be then you should separate.

Just to confirm, SPHAGNUM is fine for a laybox? It's not PEAT. I guess it can't hurt to put an extra box of peat in anyway.

sphagnum and peat moss are the same moss, just that peat is decay(ed/ing) sphagnum moss, sphagnum is the moss on top of the peat.

As a side note walking on a sphagnum bog is awesome, scary too when you get to the edge and there is open water and your only standing on like 2-3 feet of floating sphagnum.

And hubby was angry with me because Former Owner fed pinks once a week, and the female "looked a lot better" when she came to us, (note, the male is as fat and happy as ever), and said "that's what she's been doing, I don't understand why you think you know better". He doesn't get that I don't think *I* know better, I think *you all* know better.

New owner, new way of during things, pretty well everything is kind of new (maybe even the tank setup), so the gecko may naturally change its behaviors too. Throw in laying eggs and the stress may cause the gecko to lose some weight or change habits.

Just because someone has been doing something one way for a long time, and the animal hasn't died, doesn't mean they have been doing the BEST for the animal.

Very much true.

Also, do not quote me on this as I maybe wrong, but I think that pinkies are mainly just water and fat and not much nutrition.

 

[Keith N]

Its a little blurry but it doesn't look fertile. Maybe if you could get a clearer photo we could tell easier

 

[kaitala]

May not be. It has started to smell bad. I don't think any species eggs are supposed to smell bad.

The pic looked better on the camera and on thumbnail, sorry. How can you tell it's infertile?

 

[Keith N]

Looked a little yellow, but the photo was a little blurry and was wondering if it was just the photo. But yeah if they smell then trash them