Rich Z
05-09-2004, 12:42 PM
Well, although breeding began a couple of weeks earlier than normal around here, the egg laying is just about right on schedule. Got about 15 or so clutches so far and fertility is running pretty high. Only had one real disappointment so far, so that's not bad for the earliest clutches.
I tried elevating the temperatures slightly this Spring to see what would happen. Normally the temps stay around 80 to 82 degrees through the breeding season, but this year I boosted the temps to the 82 to 84 range. I think in previous years the temps were just too low at the beginning of the cycle to help the fertilized females to develop the eggs properly. So consequently I tended to get early fertility problems. I think this problem has been solved.
I counted something like 450 clutches of eggs due to be laid this year, so I should get pretty close to 6,000 hatchlings beginning in mid July. I still have that 50 percent discount sale running on pre-orders of the 2004 hatchlings, so help me out by buying up a bunch of these guys as soon as they hatch so I don't lose my mind this summer.
Most of the 2003 animals are gone, but I still have a bunch of Lavenders, Butter Motleys, and some Opals remaining. A few dribs and drabs of other things as well, so I guess I need to do another inventory.
As best I can remember, all of the females on the surplus adult females list have been bred, so whether I have remembered to mark them as such or not on my website, they are not available to be shipped until after they drop their eggs. Prices were dropped once they mated, since I am sure most people want to buy females to turn around the babies as quickly as possible. Some will likely double clutch, but for the most part, you shouldn't expect to get eggs from them until next season. With the number of young adults I need to promote to breeding status next Spring, all of those adults (and more!) need to be moved out of here before winter brumation.
Anyway, be on the lookout for some new photos this summer when the babies begin hatching. Got some neat projects that should bear fruit this year, so there could be some interesting photos to stare at and try to figure out what they heck they are. Because you KNOW I'm not going to tell you....... :laugh: :laugh:
I tried elevating the temperatures slightly this Spring to see what would happen. Normally the temps stay around 80 to 82 degrees through the breeding season, but this year I boosted the temps to the 82 to 84 range. I think in previous years the temps were just too low at the beginning of the cycle to help the fertilized females to develop the eggs properly. So consequently I tended to get early fertility problems. I think this problem has been solved.
I counted something like 450 clutches of eggs due to be laid this year, so I should get pretty close to 6,000 hatchlings beginning in mid July. I still have that 50 percent discount sale running on pre-orders of the 2004 hatchlings, so help me out by buying up a bunch of these guys as soon as they hatch so I don't lose my mind this summer.
Most of the 2003 animals are gone, but I still have a bunch of Lavenders, Butter Motleys, and some Opals remaining. A few dribs and drabs of other things as well, so I guess I need to do another inventory.
As best I can remember, all of the females on the surplus adult females list have been bred, so whether I have remembered to mark them as such or not on my website, they are not available to be shipped until after they drop their eggs. Prices were dropped once they mated, since I am sure most people want to buy females to turn around the babies as quickly as possible. Some will likely double clutch, but for the most part, you shouldn't expect to get eggs from them until next season. With the number of young adults I need to promote to breeding status next Spring, all of those adults (and more!) need to be moved out of here before winter brumation.
Anyway, be on the lookout for some new photos this summer when the babies begin hatching. Got some neat projects that should bear fruit this year, so there could be some interesting photos to stare at and try to figure out what they heck they are. Because you KNOW I'm not going to tell you....... :laugh: :laugh: