Questions about retired females

[acpart]

For those of you who have been breeding for multiple years:

--what is the average number of years your females are effective breeders?

--what are signs that your breeders need to be retired?

--what do you do with them when you "retire" them? (sell them, keep them separate from the males)

I'm noticing some of my females are "tapering off" after 3-5 breeding seasons. In most cases this is evidenced by fewer clutches,1-egg clutches, more infertile eggs. Currently I have 3 "retired females" living together, but I foresee having a bunch more and less room to keep them. There are a few I'm planning to sell as "pet only" (and am not worried that someone will cause problems trying to breed them because they will simply not have any success). There are others that I won't sell because I like the way they look and want to own them or because they have some issues (i.e. one is a "hermit" that I don't think will provide any pleasure to a new owner and one has an abdominal hernia that isn't hurting her but wouldn't be atttractive to a new owner). Just curious about what other people are doing.

Aliza

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I'm noticing some of my females are "tapering off" after 3-5 breeding seasons.

This is the case for me as well. Most of my '05 females are pretty much done, and the '06 girls are slowing down. As with most female animals (including humans), we are born with a set number of ovum that eventually run out, unlike males that continue to produce sperm cells throughout their adult lives. I have found that the most prolific females, laying 8 to 10+ clutches each season will stop producing sooner than the ones that produce 5-6 clutches. Prime age for egging females is 2-5 years.

 

[acpart]

Yes, I'm noticing the same thing. What do you do with your retired females, Marcia?

Aliza

 

[TokayKeeper]

1. Can't really say, I have a female from 99 and another from 2002 that are working on clutch number 6. Clutch #5 for both females were infertile. Back to the can't really say statement. I've not bred my geckos every single season. In years past that were consecutive years where I've done pairings of various geckos I've not actually paired some females. I usually do an off year. This is personal preference. My geckos are my pets first and foremost. I'm not looking to potentially burn a female out by breeding her 3-5 years running. I'm sure females have a set ovum number, as Marcia mentions, but yet part of me also questions this as reptiles don't menstrate like mammals - use it or lose it. I do similarly with my snakes. With exception to the smaller species of herps (smaller anoles, banded geckos, small snakes, etc), many are assumed or have some scientific documentation of females taking a year off. I recall reading a paper about hognose doing this, only laying eggs every other season in the wild.

2. Not sure, I've not retired any though this year may actually be it for the 2 females I mentioned above.

3. I send them to the elmers factory. NO......I actually plan to make very nice naturalistic habitats; full on artificial rock work, fully planted tanks, the works. I'd love to do a couple or more 75 gallon tanks for this.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

What do you do with your retired females, Marcia?

Well, I have a growing number of geriatric geckos.

 

[Repkyle]

I'm not a breeder myself, actualy quite a novice gecko keeper compaired to most of you but just out of curiosity, what age do they stop breeding if their never bred before?
Only ask because i'm finding the breeding side of things very interesting and would like to get into it some day. I'm wondering if my current female would be to old when the time came.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

what age do they stop breeding if their never bred before?

If they've never been bred, then how can they stop breeding? (j/K) I've heard of 10-year old females producing good clutches.

 

[Repkyle]

Maybe I could of worded that a bit better Think you understood what I was trying to say, thanks. Was just wondering if my little girl would still be fertile in a year or two. Or would it be best to use younger females? She around 6-7 year old now and Im going to educate myself alot more before I try anything.

 

[acpart]

I would imagine under the circumstances you describe she'd probably be fine in a year or two but may not necessarily continue to produce for 5-6 years.

Aliza

 

[Repkyle]

Okay, that's cool. Good to know thanks both