The WORST season in Golden Gate Geckos' history!

[tsavage]

can anyone tell me how to find a herp vet

 

[RAZERWIREREPTILES]

can anyone tell me how to find a herp vet

Here Ya go http://www.herpvetconnection.com/

 

[tsavage]

thanks

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Another thing we should consider is, having an attorney send a demand letter to the mealworm supplier. I don't know the 'legalese', but we could get a lawyer to represent a large, national group of reptile breeders so send a 'demand' or 'to show cause' of why/what the problem is or was with the mealworms.

Just a thought...

 

[tsavage]

Ya that would be a great idea you could even take it farther since most meal worm farm use human quality grain.......this could have been avoided if they would wash all there grain like i do.

 

[mynewturtle]

It would be great to hear from some people outside the US, where the mealworm shortage is not a problem, to see how their breeding season is going.

Aliza

I'm from Canada and I breed leopards. The thing is a lot of our mealworms came from the big supplier aswell, every time I couldn't breeed enough for mine I purchased from the company that got theres from the states. They are right at border city so they can cross the border every time they want.

I started breeding off of his line, thats why assuming my mealies are haveing troubles. But a great amount of people are going to be suffering from this shortage because our "big" supplier got his from the states(I didn't know before I asked him).

I am pretty sure the problem is some sort of toxin, breeding my own mealworms and there being a problem. It could have been anything although a grain poisoning. Grain is in probaly everybodys mealworm bedding; Dog food, wheat bran, cat food, flour. You name it, and everybody haveing problems would be strange that it would only be one persons method.

I would advise anyone who is haveing a horrible year, to feed superworms, and crickets. Mainly crickets though. Crickets are more nutrious and maybe before your season is over the extra calcium and vitmans in the crickets might be able to help your eggs. Super worms because I would never want my leopards eating only crickets, just on case after the mealworm crises is over then maybe they'll switch back over.

Good luck all I can't wait till January..

 

[tsavage]

ya i read an article here in Florida that it was because of pesticide that was being sprayed on the plants.

 

[acpart]

I'm particularly interested to know what's going on with people in Europe.

Aliza

 

[tsavage]

well if you have to go to this link.....

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/

 

[lytlesnake]

I spoke with one of my suppliers and they told me that ".... a hormone of some type (I think that's what it is) is used on the Giant Mealworms to prevent them from turning into a beetle and continue to grow in size". HE doesn't breed his own mealworms, but said he will check out this link and speak with his supplier. I have a few more emails out to other suppliers that hopefully will be responded to.

My first "Post" is done!

Everyone who has had problems feeds regular meal worms though, not giants. Good thought though. I've been feeding a lot of giant meal worms this year and it hasn't negatively affected the few geckos that I bred. So I don't think it's the hormone causing this problem.

I did get one 50 count container of giant meal worms that reeked of pesticide or hormones or something evil. That was much earlier in the year, and it only happened once. It really sounds like the problem is a pesticide in the grain that the meal worms were feeding on. And I agree with Kelli that it's very egregious of the meal worm suppliers not to be up front with their customers about this problem.

 

[Jeremy Letkey]

I also have had a terrible hatch rate this season. Somewhere around 50 - 60% succsess. That equals to well over 200-300 lost eggs. I however can not try to blame it on the mealies because I feed all of my adults and juvies superworms. I am not certain where my problem is but I can name the many things that it is not. I have not changed anything from my last season. I have had 3-4 deformities in hatchlings and 2 that have had failure to thrive. Out of 350 plus hatchlings that is a rather small number of problems.

Sorry so many others are having a crummy season as well.

 

[Franks_Geckos]

I also have had a terrible hatch rate this season. Somewhere around 50 - 60% succsess. That equals to well over 200-300 lost eggs. I however can not try to blame it on the mealies because I feed all of my adults and juvies superworms. I am not certain where my problem is but I can name the many things that it is not. I have not changed anything from my last season. I have had 3-4 deformities in hatchlings and 2 that have had failure to thrive. Out of 350 plus hatchlings that is a rather small number of problems.

Sorry so many others are having a crummy season as well.

Jeremy, perhaps the Supers you had been using were exposed to the same toxins as the mealies through the bedding or grain? This could especially be true if they originated from the same place... just a thought. I just find it strange that so many of us with alot of breeding experience have individually had varying issues but many of the same issues this year. The tremendously low hatch rate just doesn't make sense without some bizarre circumstances having affected the situation. Has the low hatch rate you described been occurring on all of your morphs or just a few in particular? The reason I ask is because I have had problems last year (low hatch rate, a few deformities, deaths shortly after hatch, etc.) with certain breedering pairs that have gone away completely this year while other pairs that used to be reliable have been terrible (mostly just infertile eggs) this year. It makes me wonder if it is a result of overbreeding particular females year after year or their inability to sustain an acceptable level of health required for the breeding through the types of supplementation we provide them. I would like to blame it on feeders, but I have only had a few females that had poor seasons this year, so while I think there is definitely an issue with the mealworms and the reason for the shortage, I am hard pressed to say it is the single reason for the problems as well. It is more believable that a combination of things has caused some of these issues.

 

[supperl]

As of someone askign for Europeen.
I had well a bad season?
I´m feeding crickets and from time to time mealworms and had many infertile eggs but also fertiles.
From 7 laying females I have around 30 hatchlings so far and many infertile eggs and a number of around 3-5 embryodeads.
I have a female that has layed quiet a few clutches but so far only 4 hatchlings this year and another had only 2 babies yet(okay I must say I´t was my fault 6 eggs gone bad).

SO far a season I thought I should have more eggs and more fertile eggs but in the end I had hatchlings which were more than what I had expected so I´m goo with it and will see what next year will come.

 

[Gregg M]

both averaging out 2-3 weeks but becoming 1 week because of more babies popping out of that incubator every week (11 adults, 33 babies + 12 more eggs!) It really is drying out my savings. I just hope it gets better before I have to start asking my dad to help

Off topic but have you ever considered slowing down or controling the breeding of your geckos before you are in over your head??? Just a thought.

Back on topic.
It would be great if someone came up with a proven answer to this obviously wide spread issue. I breed all of my own feeders so I really cant give much on this topic but I am very interested in the issue and feel bad for those affected by it.

A side note.
Ever think it could have something to do with genetics in our captive stock??? There could be lots of defective genetics being propagated without it being so apparent in the first few genertions... Just another thought.
I am a little shocked that nobody really touched on this yet.

 

[Alusdra]

I didn't read this whole thread (because it is looong) but I just wanted to add in that I had this bizarre die-off/ lack of pupation/ lack of breeding in my mealies, too- about 4 months ago, I guess? My colony has been completely isolated from other mealies for years. I don't know if it is a bizarre coincidence- but maybe it was something with the food? That whole melamine issue with dog/cat food came from wheat, right? Who's to say that we weren't feeding Chinese grain to the mealies and it killed them all? They were feeding the recalled food to pigs (for human consumption!) after all...

I was totally at my wits end trying to scrounge up feeders. None of mine eat anything but mealies, a couple by preference, but I've got two that are blind/partially blind and only hunt where they know their bowl is...

I can't say anything on if my mealies would have caused any reproductive deformities, though, as I don't breed anybody. I do have a gecko that is refusing to eat and wasting away, though. She's been perfectly robust prior to about the same period I've been having mealie issues.

 

[KelliH]

Ever think it could have something to do with genetics in our captive stock??? There could be lots of defective genetics being propagated without it being so apparent in the first few genertions...

Actually there was a post about that in this thread... I wonder though if this was the case, why is this affecting proven breeders that produced very well the previous years? Something to think about.

 

[Halley]

Actually there was a post about that in this thread... I wonder though if this was the case, why is this affecting proven breeders that produced very well the previous years? Something to think about.

My thoughts as well, I don’t thinks genetics is the case here.

 

[Gregg M]

Actually there was a post about that in this thread... I wonder though if this was the case, why is this affecting proven breeders that produced very well the previous years? Something to think about.

Who knows Kelli... Maybe females are not staying viable for as long as they should. They could be "burning out" earlier in life or a "new" male might be introduced to a reliable female.
What ever the case is, I hope the issue can be licked and put behind. It is a shame to see good breeders being discouraged by an issue where the breeders are obviously not at fault.

I think more homework needs to be done before we rule out anything or point a finger at any one theory. I could very well be a combination of a couple of things.

 

[dprince]

Who knows Kelli... Maybe females are not staying viable for as long as they should. They could be "burning out" earlier in life or a "new" male might be introduced to a reliable female.
What ever the case is, I hope the issue can be licked and put behind. It is a shame to see good breeders being discouraged by an issue where the breeders are obviously not at fault.

I think more homework needs to be done before we rule out anything or point a finger at any one theory. It could very well be a combination of a couple of things.

Good point Gregg. I guess because a lot of us primarily feed mealies, the mealie shortage and the different stories as to WHY there is a shortage, etc. it's easy to jump to that conclusion. But you're right, it certainly could be a number of factors. And why are the supers not affected? Are they on the same food as the mealies? And what about the crickets? Are they fed the same stuff too? I know I gut load/feed mine all the same - 10 grain cereal with Vionate, carrots and potatoes. It's just so weird........:main_huh: It's just nice to see us coming together as a community to talk about this. :main_yes:

 

[SaSobek]

i have had no problems that are out of the ordinary. maybe 10 babies were born with defects. i didnt have the dieing in the eggs like people were talking about. there were a few females that didnt breed but it was a small number and i think they were later in the season. and with me moving last month. and well not putting males in with them might have had something to do with it. Im the last month or two i have stoped trying to breed. With the mealworm shortage and well the amount of geckos that are here right now i thought ok thats it i dont need to breed anymore.

So as far as my season went or is still going. it was a great one to say the least well over 1400 babies less then 1% defects less then 5 % infertile.