I have a few questions to Robyn. What exactly do you feed your uros on a daily bases. What type of set up do you have, i have 1 foot of digable dirt, 2 basking spots that are elevated 6 inches off the ground by slate and rocks, i feed them collard greens, mustard greens, and endive, They are in a 5 X 4 X 2 foot cage without top. Ambient is 85, basking is 120, night is 65-70.



Why aren't my hatchlings growing as fast as yours. My hatchlings are 6 months old, 5 inches long, and between 23-30 grams.



Also, just because some peoples uros dont grow fast doesn't mean that they are not in proper set-up. i successfuly bred my uros last year and at the momment my female is gravid again. What i dont understand is, if my hatchlings aren't growing fast because they are in the wrong type of set-up, then why are my adults breeding. I thought that you had to have almost perfect set-ups for uros to breed. Also, isn't 5 inches 23-30 grams normal for 6 month old malis?



Also, i think that it is great having hatchlings grow that fast. But, if you are going to breed them when they are only one year old, you will probably have some problems. I know of other breeders that had hatchling ornates grow as fast as yours and they bred at one year of age, but the females would become eggbound. Even though they might be sexually mature, i dont think it would be healthy for the females if they bred at such a young age. Just for some facts they bred without any brumation, and i think one of the females went from 120 to 80 grams after laying the eggs. Well, the breeder that bred them said that even though they are sexually mature and big enough, the female's just cant handle haveing eggs at such a young age. What i am trying to say is, it is great they your hatchlings are growing that fast, but i wouldn't risk breeding them at such a young age, i would wait 1 more year to ensure their health. I am not saying this because it is just because it is my opinion, it was somewhat proven that if you breed ornate females at such a young age they have better chances of problems occering, especially eggbinding. I forgot the breeder's name, but if you want to talk to them or see their web page that gave me the info about the yearly ornates breeding and what happened to one of them females i will get it for you.
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Mike

1.1.3 maliensis (Spike, Marshmellow, Brown, Green, Orange)

0.2 Female U. Acanthinurus-Werneri x

0.1 Pit Bull/German Shephard/ Lab/ ect. mix (Kodak) - looks like an over grown toco bell dog.

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