Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone I know I havent posted in awhile, been busy. Just thought now would be a good time to give an update on the pair of prasinus I raised. They are now 2 1/2 years old & just laid a 2nd clutch of eggs this year. First clutch I didnt find in time to incubate This current clutch however, I removed eggs right away. She laid 3 eggs again, one every day for three days. Interesting, I didnt know they didnt lay all at one time. So far 2 look good and are plumping out. One is starting to dent and im guessing its infertile. Im so excited, im hoping I can get them to hatch. Now begins the super long wait and worrying lol

Hi prettykittkat,
your V. prasinus look great (in the vids), good luck with the eggs, I`m SURE you can hatch them successfully!
Out of interest, whereabouts in the enclosure is she laying them?

Thanks

She laid them in her nest box up in the top left side of the enclousure. The first egg I found her sleeping with when I checked in the morning. 2nd egg was laid that day prob 10 mins after I found her. She went back in the box after I put it back up. Third egg she laid the next day while I was home keeping an eye on her. Even though she saw me take all 3 eggs she guards the nest box from the male still. Poor guy doesnt know whats going on. He tries to get close to her & she wants nothing to do with him.

Congrats and I wish you luck incubating them.

What your seeing is not a good sign. Normally they lay eggs, inside a hollow created by the female. They lay all the eggs, then cover them up and hide the entrance, then protect the area as you have seen.

When they lay them other then that, its because they cannot find a proper nesting place. what they normally do is wait and search until the eggs start to perish inside them then they dump them in the next best area, or around the cage or in the water bowl.

This eggs normally do not hatch, but please keep incubating them as they can hatch. It depends on how long they were held past the time they should have been laid.

What you observed is common with varanids, as nesting is so very critical with all varanids.

Why I mention this at all is, unless you improve your nesting, you will lose that beautiful female. Please, that is history. They can only dump eggs a few times before it takes its toll on them.

Simply put, thats why there are so many males in the classifieds. The females die from reproductive failure, and the males are excessed. Again, this is common across the board with varanid species.

Monitors are easy, particularly with captive hatched, but, nesting is the real hurdle. Its where all your effort will either reward you or cause you grief.

Thanks

If theres an issue do you think it might be me instead? Last time she laid in the same box but I didnt find the eggs in time. As a result I was so nervous this time & checked her box a couple times a day. Maybe I disturbed or distracted her. I dont know how long is too long for eggs to be in there before its too long to incubate. The box is 80 degrees which I read isnt warm enough for incubation. My incubator is set at 85 degrees which I read is correct? I think maybe I worry too much?

Maybe next time I will buy a small camera so I can watch her in the box without having to disturb anything. I could put another box thats deeper but it will be very hard to dig through. The current one is around 20 gallons full of substrate. It takes me awhile because I am delicate not to disturb the eggs buried. They are however much heavier & thicker shelled than other reptile eggs I have experience with. Maybe I worry too much with this too?

We all worry to much, but over reacting is what you need to control.

Also, when they nest, they do not nest like a bird, they make a long tunnel and form a chamber at the end where they deposit the eggs. They then cover the whole area and hide any sign of a nest.

So if you can see them in the box, that is WRONG. Prasinus make burrows in soft plant material by poking their head in and wiggling and pushing out with their body. That packs the walls of the tunnels. They do not normally dig with their feet like other monitors do.

nesting is the key to success for breeding varanids. Provide good nests and your female will give you many clutches a year and not suffer at all. In fact, when they have good nesting, you will have a hard time telling she laid. Which of course is another problem all together.

You are right, the temps in the area they nest in are not that critical, but are best in the mid 80's.

The nesting material needs to be humid and almost dry. At least, not wet. Good luck

Frank,
I have a young looks to be female salvator. If kept alone will they still produce eggs just infertile and if so sounds like I would need to provide a nesting area so she can lay to stay healthy? Please advise

Thats true, but, varanids can and do produce parthnogenically. Its not common, but does occur.

Also, a nesting area is a continuence of a home shelter. That is, what is good for eggs is good for monitors to stay in. Their burrows are very close to the conditions of a nesting chamber.

Which is good both physically and mentally for your monitor.

So yes, provide areas where she can burrow when needed and nest whent needed. Good luck

You mean see her using the nest box or see her in it? When shes using it I cant see her because she is buried under all the moss. When you say plant material are you talking about substrate like the moss I use or actual nest site. I thought they laid eggs in the hollows of trees/logs. Sorry for asking but I just want to make sure I know what you are saying exactly.

Do you keep prasinus complex monitors?

Hi Kathy. Agree with sentiments of Frank as I've told you before. Not normal to be dropping eggs in anything but a single event of "nesting" them together and deep within dirt or whatever you use. I'd add a lot of choices and not pressure her to use only one offering.

Nobody actually knows what wild Prasinus Monitors nest in. It could very well be decomposing hollows of trees full of decomposing wood pulp, termitaria, arboreal termitaria, ground nesting...a lot of possibilities. It would be a nice study to know for us captive keepers, but scary for collectors to know and start smashing up nesting sites looking for eggs to steal and claim they're CBB. LOL

Best of luck with your Tree Monitors!

Krusty

Thanks Justin

I think I might try some different things & see how it goes. Looks like my pair copulates every 4 months so I have plenty of time to make different options.

Actually you do not have time.

Varanids seek their nesting site well before or at the time of copulation.

Its a general idea how reptile reproduction works.

Most species, spend half the year in reproductive mode and half the year in foraging mode. And no, its not all or nothing.

During reproductive mode, they move to dens, congregations, groups, trios, pairs and to an area where they are going to nest. Pairing, attending, and waiting for the females to cycle is the prime mode of behavior. But, they can and do feed at this time if prey is present.

During foraging mode, they expand their range and seek out food, day after day. All day after all day.

If there is plenty of support, some stay in the nesting area. Others do not.

So, Your animals should have proper nesting(for those individuals) all the time.
With ackies, they like to dig the nesting burrow around the time they copulate, then cover it up and redig it at the time of nesting.

Prasinus most like position themselves around a known nesting site during the WHOLE reproductive process. As Krusty mentioned, there is very little known about exactly what that is and where. I did read one record of a prasinus nest in a elevated termite colony.

Also, most species nest in a way particular to that colony or area. And particular conditions. Say at one local they nest in termite colonies in trees, yet at another area, there are not termite colonies to nest in, So they pick hollow limbs and tree bases. This is common with all species.

The reality is, the longer they are in captivity, generation wise, the less critical they become.

A common result of nest testing is, they prefer to nest where they have already nested, then have to find new sites. Or they would rather nest where others of their own species have nested then find new sites.

Ok, toooo much, but do what krusty recomended and as soon as you can, I will only increase your chances of success.

>> She laid 3 eggs again, one every day for three days. Interesting, I didnt know they didnt lay all at one time.
>>
>>

They don't.They usually lay them all at once.I would be a little worried about the nesting option you provided for her.Next time you might not be so lucky.You do have some really nice Prasinus.Do you still have the pair of blues?

Greg
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1.1 Varanus Rudicollis
2.0.3 Varanus jobiesis
0.0.1 Ornate box turtle
0.1 Varanus Salvidorii
0.0.2 Varanus Salvator

Thanks I still have the same male but sadly the old female I had died a week into breeding. She was the one I got in really bad shape, emaciated w worms. I got her healthy but she always looked old. I never expected her to breed. I guess she couldnt take it I found another female earlier this year who is young & healthy. Shes w the male now and they are doing well. Hopefully they will breed next year when shes fully mature. I also have a pair of reisingeri where the male is adult but female looks young, I think she may reach maturity soon too. I have Kordensis also but they are not kept together. They showed fungus after being in my care 2 weeks so ive been treating them. Previous owner has fungus infected monitor that he thought was a scar. Totally sucks because if I had known I wouldve never got them, I hate treating fungus & sometimes it reoccurs & can never be fully cured. Right now it hasnt come back but its only been a few months. Such a shame The male is only a baby, the female is adult.