Some Details Needed

[Desdemona]

So, just trying to gather some details to decide if I want to try and breed this year or not.

Does time in season determine how many clutches? If you wait till the end of Jan will there be less or will the season just strech out further into the year?

What is the max number of clutches one can expect? I am assuming that during this time you are not going to want to leave your house for more than a day or two. So I would want to know how much time I would be dedicating to not going anywhere for extended periods of time.

To know when the female is done do you just wait until she has gone for more than 4 or 5 weeks with no eggs producing? I guess it might be obvious sooner than that. Or is there some clear sign that she is done?

I won't be breeding more than one female, but I am curious... for those who do one male and multiple females, can you tell which female lays which egg? Do you just keep females who are matching known genetic makeups? Or do you seperate the females as they start to lay?

"If" I breed this year, and acutally sold the babies and felt I had the room/time/etc I could possibly have two breeding females in 2012, but they don't have the same genetics and there is no way I'd risk their eggs getting mixed. However, they'd have to share the same male.

I think that is all of my questions for now.

 

[Taquiq]

Does time in season determine how many clutches? If you wait till the end of Jan will there be less or will the season just strech out further into the year?

No, it all depends on the female.

What is the max number of clutches one can expect?

Females can lay up to 12-13 clutches a year. If it's a first year breeder it will probably be around the 4-6 clutch range but anything is possible.

To know when the female is done do you just wait until she has gone for more than 4 or 5 weeks with no eggs producing? I guess it might be obvious sooner than that. Or is there some clear sign that she is done?

Yes, she will completely stop laying and you can look at her stomach and see that there is no eggs.

I won't be breeding more than one female, but I am curious... for those who do one male and multiple females, can you tell which female lays which egg? Do you just keep females who are matching known genetic makeups? Or do you seperate the females as they start to lay?

I don't do this but I assume they separate the females once their about to lay. Or they might watch closely to see who lays when.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

I usually take out the female that isn't about to lay to reduce the stress on the expectant mother. Sometimes they lay before being separated but when you look at the girls, you can see who looks noticeably thinner. Some of my girls who had cagemates had to be housed alone the whole time because they became moody.

 

[Desdemona]

I am pretty sure my one good sized female has layed before, if I remember right the breeder told me she was proven, but at the time I wasn't planning on breeding so didn't pay it much mind. Hmm. If she has laid it will be at least a year since I've had her almost that long. My other two girls have one issue or another so I wouldn't breed them (that and not colors I want) and my 4th will be just a babe.

 

[sunshinegeckos]

It all depends on when the females ovulate. Some ovulate sooner than others. Females can lay between 8-13 clutches but I have known some females that have laid 16-20 clutches. Virgin females may lay less or they may lay more. You never know until you actually do it lol. You can seperate the breeding females so then you would know who laid what and then lable the eggs so you know who is whose egg.

 

[Desdemona]

Can you tell exactly when they are going to ovulate or do you just put in the male around Jan and let them work it out?

Also, if I breed one then I will... in theory... have 2 geckos after about 6 weeks, another two hatched geckos in roughly 4 to 6 weeks, etc until she is done correct? This would be assuming all viable eggs of course.

 

[Taquiq]

She will lay eggs after 3-5 weeks if she is ovulating and was bred. Add another month or two for incubation and you will have babies 2-3 months after your female is bred for the first time in the season.