wondering about egg laying.

[Liz]

ok i was just wonderingsince we got 1.1 crested and some time were gonan wanan rbeed these guys so what i want to know is... do they dig and lay the eggs in the dirt or will they do it in a nest box and how deep should the dirt be. Thanks

[smith710]

Also, I have read a few places that they put ure calcium in a little dish and put it in the cage with them so that the female won't become calcium deficiant... Will she actually eat this if we just put pure calcium and no flavor or anything in there?

[firecrested]

they will lay their eggs wherever they think is the best spot.  if you're going with a natural viv you can use a very light layer of substrate and put a nest box with moist peat moss in it, but they may still lay in the substrate.

I have never offered a calcium dish.  If you give them enough with their food and give them a short break during the year they should be fine and if you use cgd you shouldnt have to worry about it.  I feed cgd only except once a month i feed crickets and havent had a problem with my breeder females.  I had one that was having seisures after 6 clutches before i used cgd.

[smith710]

Ok that's another question I was meaning to ask.? How often do you give the female breaks and for how long during the year?

[firecrested]

some people go longer and it probably wont hurt the gecko but this is what i do. I let them go 4 clutches then give them a short break to gain their weight back (usually a month) then 4 more clutches.? I usually get around 12-14 clutches a year and the females are always at a good size.

[smith710]

Ok, so 4 clutches of eggs, then a month off every time.  And other than the one female that had the seizure, you never had a problem with doing it this way right?

[firecrested]

yes, i do 4 months then a month break then go 4 more months.....  if the female is staying fat and healthy you could probably go another two or three clutches.   I just go four then a break to be safe.  I know others that go 7-8 months straight then give them a break during the winter.


The one female was the only one i ever had a problem with but it was before she was eating cgd.  I was offering her crickets and baby food mixed with calcium.  now she eats the whole bowl of cgd and is back to normal and laying good clutches of eggs.

[smith710]

Ok cool, thanks alot.  If we got any more questions we will definately ask.

[firecrested]

Hey........HOW BOUT THEM YANKEES!!!!!!!

Sorry, I couldnt resist.

[smith710]

Lol, yeah I know.... I wasn't even expecting them to go this far this year. 

[firecrested]

Well.... i guess we will both have to wait until next year   

[smith710]

Lol, hey... New York still has the Mets to count on 

[firecrested]

I'm going for the Mets now.  I like them, it's just the Yankees i cant stand  and especially Arod 

[smith710]

Lol, well I'm right there with you on ARod.  I've never liked him... Vote on my new pole

[firecrested]

what pole is that?