Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, So I got Grey Dawn exactly 3 weeks ago today, and yesterday she was digging like crazy... restlessness from starting to ovulate!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! First thing this morning I went to look at her and her sides are peaching out! She normally has yellow on her sides, but that started to brighten this past week a little bit, and now there's some light reds mixing in! I didn't think I'd get any colors out of her this year since there was no brumation... Yet, she has eaten so much you think she was starved before! So maybe she put herself through brumation by not eating, and now...

And then both the boys seem to want her, I've tried her with Jewel - he bit her neck and tried SO hard, but she tried and succeeded in getting away from him (he ALMOST mated...), but I havn't yet seen Spike do anything - tho I not ALWAYS watching.

So is it normal to dig right before ovulation? She is wider than before, so I don't know if the colors are from the eggs? any ideas? Either way, we're getting eggs... and I have to figure out incubation! AHHHH!!!!!

How long do colors last, and when should I start a nest site/box for her? any suggestions on HOW to do the laying site? This morning I added a ton of sand to the cage so she has more room to dig, and I made sure the corner she dug in was fairly damp... Thanks everyone!

Updates what I have them!

Buggzter

Hi, that's wonerful, I wish you the best. Since you have no idea if they mated or when, I would just create her nest and allow her to know it's there when she needs it. Maybe some easter eggs for you, LOL.

On my collared Care page, I have a section on egg laying, how long, what to do with them, and making nests, with a new part with example pics if it will help you.

When you get to the Care page just scroll down to Ovulation and Egg laying...
Egg laying / Nests

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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

Thanks so much for the link Eve - I'm gonna get a shortcut for myself when I need it lol!

Ok, So she's getting more orangey as the hours pass... (the pic is of her just after noon today, while the previous pics were aorund 8am...) No wonder Jewel is crazy about her! lol! We're letting him stay with her since we don't think Spike has any intentions in mating this year - next year we'll have girls for him!

So, Tony wants to know if warmer than 83 gets more girls that boys or vice-versa? from my past years doing science experiments in my bathroom plus the research I've done online for the pasat 18 hours, I think I have a good idea for keeping the eggs warm, but I want to be able to know likelyhood for M:F ratios for what temp? I'm about to go see prices on vermaculite (we also need more sand - just used it for Dawn... lol!) and get a digital thermo. with a probe...

Now, to keep humidity, would a good towel over the top be good? I'm thinking it would allow good air flow, prevent dripping onto the eggs, and keep heat in there decently. I'm also going to try keeping my house a bit warmer than normal (it's Florida, I'll just keep the AC off! lol!) and let the heat run if it's below 75 to make sure of the efficiency... Oh, I'm planning on using a styrofoam cooler, a human heating pad (most likely on low) on one side to heat the very bottom of the egg medium and air around it, and maybe an extra bowl of water in it just to make sure of the humidity depending on how the eggs fill out/colapse...

Thanks again for having so many tips on your site - it really helps alot!

I'll report more later!

~Krystie

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Non-normal people make the world go 'round, not the other way 'round!

Another question: Would it be OK to transport them by car if they stay level and warm the entire time? I live in Venice, FL, and my lizards live with my fiance an hour away in Bradenton! I don't trust him all that much in caring for the eggs in a home-made incubator set-up... Plus he's not home enough to do it! AHHHH!!!! I don't want to use $10/day and 2 hours of driving just to check the eggs: I want them with ME! lol! Thanks!
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Non-normal people make the world go 'round, not the other way 'round!

If they are warm, and can not in anyway move or be jostled I guess there is no reason why you can't transport them to your house

The Cooler sounds good, and I have known people who used a heating pad, even left them at room temp if you live in a place that does not go below or above the recommended temps.

I would use a bowl of water in the bottom of the cooler beside your container of eggs, I'm not real sure about the damp towel over the Cooler as a lid. It may be too much humidity and cause the eggs to go bad.
(BUT.... again I'm not sure) I have never used a damp towel. I would think the vermiculite they are in will be dampened before they go in, and the bowl of water beside thier container would be fine. Just check the vermiculite every so often and make sure it's not dry. If it does not feel damp add some water beside the eggs (NOT on them) just near them, with an eyedropper.
I would just put a couple holes in the Cooler top for your lid the size of a quarter, for air flow/circulation.

I forget all your questions, LOL so if theres soem I missed maybe somebody else can jump in. Been slow lately.

Her orange outfit is stunning
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PHEve / Eve

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Ok, I'm a proud mommy (and in 3 months grandmommy if things go well), so I'm posting this early afternoon's pics of how pretty my baby girl is! She's really a bit oranger than the pix show (all her yellow is now orange), but Jewel thinks she's just HOT! lol! And he's getting brighter too! I'll show pics of the three sometime in the future... anyhoo, here ya go! ~Buggzter

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Non-normal people make the world go 'round, not the other way 'round!