Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Although this is not the first time she has laid I am still new at this. I had a few questions.

1. She only laid one egg. Is that normal?(Last year she laid 2 eggs and two days later 2more!)

2. The egg she laid was in her humid hide again! Near the bottom where is can be as hot as 98 degrees. Could this harm the egg?!

3. The egg seemed like a jello mold when I removed it with the spoon. It just wiggled around. Is this normal? She may have just laid it.

4. Should I be expecting her to lay more eggs shortly or was last year a fluke?

Well that's about it for right now. Any information from anyone who has bred before is appreciated. Take it easy all and stay warm!

Jesse

1. Yes that is awkward... they are supposed to lay 2 at a time... Check her belly, she could be eggbound, or perhaps she just never developed the second egg.

2. She is supposed to use the humid hide, it can harm the egg and probably did. Regulate that temperature some, that is way too hot.

3 and 4... Dunno never bred yet, but the egg may be infertile... Incubate anyways just in case, does it have veins? Look at it with a flashlight for them... After mating, the eggs are fertilized for I think up to a year, so you should expect more if she is fertile

veins won't be visible right away...so if you can't see them don't toss the egg out right away! It may take a week or 2 for them to show up if the egg is fertile.

One egg is not all that uncommon, specificlly for the first clutch of the season or first year breeders, but you can look at her belly to be sure.
The way you said the egg was like jello doesn't sound too good though. Could just be unfertile or could have been cooked. When I had a clutch of eggs that felt like that they molded in to days. Either way you should reduce that hot spot to no more then 90 degrees.
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Sara

As you suspect, this isn't normal (except in first time layers). The usual pattern is 2 eggs every two weeks. Keep an eye on her to be sure there isn't a second egg still inside.

>>1. She only laid one egg. Is that normal?(Last year she laid 2 eggs and two days later 2more!)
>>
98 degrees is hot enough to cause demormities or kill a developig fetus. In this case, it seems likely that the egg is infertile anyway .. but I'd fix that temperature problem right away. If you can't do that today, move the moist hide to a more friendly part of the tank (88-90 is recommended for the warm side of the tank at belly level).

>>2. The egg she laid was in her humid hide again! Near the bottom where is can be as hot as 98 degrees. Could this harm the egg?!
>>

Sounds like the egg is infertile. Often infertile eggs are not as "solid" looking and not as white on the outside. If it was that ... jello-like, its very unlikely that its a good egg but hang onto it for a few days to be sure if you prefer. Sure won't hurt anything!

>>3. The egg seemed like a jello mold when I removed it with the spoon. It just wiggled around. Is this normal? She may have just laid it.

I've had a few females that start laying without exposure to a male and most did so more than once. I ended up breeding them since they didn't seem able to NOT lay anyway. In any case, fertile or not, be sure she has access to plenty of calcium and that you supplement her food with a mineral supplement once a week as well. Laying is very nutritionally intense and basic nutrients go to the eggs first .. then the mother, so you'll have to keep her well fed to keep her healthy.

>>
>>4. Should I be expecting her to lay more eggs shortly or was last year a fluke?
>>

Best of luck to you, fix that heat problem, and enjoy your little ones!

Andrea A.
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Andrea A.