Posted by:
rhino5
at Wed Aug 26 16:51:31 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by rhino5 ]
Welcome to the world of breeding cyclura ! They ain't no colbrids. For breeders in colder climates, what you are experincing is very common. Some things that might help:
1. As much as possible avoid using heat pads during warmer months -- eggs can get cooked before they are layed. 2. Extreme healthy diet. Use a high quality dry food supplement( like Marions). Soak some and mix it into your salad. It will round out something that might be missing. Use a high calcium varied diet -- ie avoid just sprinkling calcium powder on a salad. Use high calcium foods and avoid foods that could inhibit calcium absorption (carrots, spinich) -- research green iguana websites for right foods. 3. After the 2 week window of breeding is over(typically in June for rhinos) remove the male, he just adds stress to an already stressed out female. 4. Suitable nesting site: A sunny location with damp sand. A 4x4 area of cement blocks packed solid with sand with a couple thick pieces of plywood over the top has worked for me. During the nesting time, the females nose is like a thermometer, and it will seek out an area of 86 degree. Provide that in the nest box and she should lay there. 5. Hydration: Probably one of the few times you will see her drink from a bowl. Clean fresh water is crutial during the gravid months. She will be especially thirsty right after she layed eggs. 6. Maintain a consistent environment(same cage, breeding partner, and nest site) and keep records. If the weather is consistent, she will lay dam near the same day every year. If you follow the above, you should expect a larger more fertile clutch of eggs next year....unlike the ones below. Good Luck.
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