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I was kind of doing a mid-season mental inventory of how things are going this year and thought it couldn't hurt to see if anyone else wants to offer their opinion. I've been rotating my male cinny through 5 females for the last 3 months. I thought I had a female ready to drop eggs any day because of how swollen she was and she shed about 5 weeks ago. But in the last few days she seems to have gone back to normal. I'm about ready to shut the incubator off and wait for more signs down the road.

Should I be concerned that nothing seems to have taken yet? My male loves to breed and locks up just about every time I put him with a female. Each female has been bred at least 4 or more times each. I have the heat on a 12/12 cycle. It comes on at 9AM and off at 9PM. I've been feeding the male whenever he'll eat. He was eating a lot but now that it's deep into breeding season, he seems to have gotten less hungry and more horny. I've had 3 of the 5 females willing to eat. 2 have been refusing since late summer.

Pretty basic stuff. Anyone think I'm doing something terribly wrong or something obvious I should be doing that I've overlooked? Or should I just relax and be patient? Would love to hear anything you wanna take the time to say. Thanks a lot for any input at all, and good luck to everybody else. Ryan.

Ryan, Your Cinny is having fun. Your females are having fun. You are doing alright. Last year I thought I had a pre-egg lay shed and marked it on the calender. The date came an she shed again. She did finally lay 11 big white eggs. Just relax it will happen. Your doing fine. Claude

for the words of encouragement. How's that female I sold you this past summer doing? She breeding for you yet?

Why are you turning the heat off at night? Are you still using a basking spot or are you leting the entire cage go cold. I am new to breeding BPs and this is the first time I have read this.

Thanks Jeff

Hey Jeff. Just letting the temp drop at night. During the day, the hot spot gets to 90 and usually drops to 70 - 75 at night. That's the idea behind "cooling". It simulates the season change by letting them get colder and promotes breeding activity and follicle production by the females.

Thanks Ryan, I understand the seasonal cooling process. I have several animals that may go later this season and I am maintaining 75-76 degs. on the cool side, but I just had not considered a night drop on the hot side (88-90). Is this necessary? I thought they would just move to the cool side, which they are doing several times daily. Is this enough? All but an 05 male het pied are still eating consistantly even though not as strong as they were a month ago. Does this night drop effect their digestion of food? I would like to keep them eating as long as possible.

Jeff

I personally would rather force them to cool off at night just to be certain they're experiencing a temp drop. Otherwise, they could just sit on the heat all the time. I've wondered the same thing about digestion problems, but never noticed any at all. I even have a baby female retic in the same rack with some of the balls, so she's getting the same temps and still functioning perfectly. Little garbage disposal, just like healthy retics should be. Seems to be working, so I'm not gonna fix it if it ain't broke. I just wish these females would ovulate soon and really verify that it ain't broke. It's been 2 years since I've had eggs and I'm getting way too anxious. That's what makes it so much fun though, right? Good luck man. Read everything you can and do what makes the most sense for you and your particular set-up.

np