I meant to say that if we are to entertain the idea that the longer the female takes to lay after shed, the more likely she is to become egg bound because the eggs are bigger, then it would be interesting to see if the eggs really do gain in size over the course of those extra days.

If you find after measuring many clutches that eggs that are laid 10 days after shed are no larger than eggs that are laid a 2 days after, then it would seem that the supposed increase in size due to the delay in laying isn't the issue.

Similarly, if you see with females that become egg bound (with just an egg or two remaining) that the eggs in their clutches are no larger than the eggs of females that don't retain any eggs then it again would seem that size isn't the issue. (obviously, one would have to compare similar sized females and the more clutches one compared the more informative the data)

I, for one, can say that the females that became egg bound in my collection did not lay eggs that were bigger than my females that didn't retain eggs (probably smaller). I can also say they never showed any attempt to expel the last egg and, furthermore, when I massaged the egg that remained it always slid very easily down to the vent are, so it wasn't stuck. Also significant is that it was always the last egg, meaning the others all came out fine.
I'm sure there are other scenarios - I'm just relating my experiences (which I think is reasonable and informative).

I think that with all these females that don't 'bother' attempting to even move the last egg towards the vent that there is another reason.

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]