Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, so I've had my gold dusts for 3 1/2 weeks and I'm guessing they are very comfortable in they're new hom because I found an egg Monday morning. I'm pretty sure it's infertile because she laid it on the orchid bark but kinda under a plant. It's also not real white, kinda yellow but it has good shape. So, I made a quick cheap incubator and put it in there, just in case. So, my questions are:

Since there is only one egg, and she laid it where she did, and it's the color it is should I assume it's infertile and throw it away or what?

I know that they can breed again immediately after laying, but I don't know how long it takes for the egg(s) to develope before she lays it/them?

Now just a general question:

How can I be sure they are eating their fruit mixture?

Any and all answer/comments are greatly appreciated!

Hello! if your this is the first time your female has mated, then she most likely only laid the one egg.

the egg doesnt sound infertile in my opion, but im also fairly new to gold dusts, so i could be wrong. keep it in the incubator and see what happens. don't throw it away until its definately dead, ie; growing mold!

from my observations, it seems to take about 4 weeks from mating to laying the egg and then about another 4 weeks for it to hatch. mine are incubated in the tank with the geckos, as they found themselves their own incubator! inside fake tree roots that i have as a plantpot. the roots are like hollow legs and the eggs are laid down there somewhere!!!!

with the fruit mixture, place it off the ground where crickets and other food items can't easily access it. that way you'll know only the geckos can eat it. i have mine on the ground, but i often see mine (usually the female) come down to it in the evening. anything they don't eat, the crix finish up over night!

Hope this helps!

Claire
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I currently keep:
1.2 leopard geckos
1.1 gold dust day geckos
7 dwarf ground geckos
0.1 chinese cave gecko
0.1 tokay gecko

Other species: crested gecko, giant day gecko

Believe it or not I found yet another egg Friday, 5 days after the first was found...this time though instead of it being on the ground it was up on a leaf right above where I found the first one...I really don't think either is fertile as they both are dimpled and kinda crusty white/yellow looking. I'm still incubating on the off chance at least one may be fertile. I'm a bit concerned though, I haven't seen my female for a few days. I'm hoping she's just hiding. He has become very protective of the terrarium...he wouldn't let me get near the second egg until Saturday. I didn't think gold dusts were supposed to be that way...

Oh no. Gold dust (laticauda) are pretty darn aggressive and territorial. I cant let mine get within a few feet of the other day gex enclosures, they get all swelled up and stuff! Great, great pets though. Very active. BTW, the previous advice on eggs was good. And, get ready for some serious egg laying, cause theyll keep at it if you dont separate them or drop temps or something. Once theyve started, they dont like to stop....