First of all, the "Tremper" method was not developed by RT at all. Drs. Brian Viets, WHN Gutzke, and David Crews started seeing a difference in color and patterning about 20 years ago when they were doing studies on the effect of temperature vs. gender. Many new studies have been conducted since then, and I really don't think there is a real solid formula that will answer the questions about "hot" females and the amount of melanin production in regard to incubation temperatures.
Studies have suggested that females incubated at lower temperatures will reach sexual maturity earlier than those incubated at higher temps. Some have also shown a correlation with the actual fertility rates being lower in these "hot" females, too. But, basically it doesn't really matter when these females become sexually mature and start producing viable eggs if you wait until ANY female is 2 years old and of good breeding weight before you allow them to begin laying eggs!
Now, in regard to the temperature increase when you go from 80-82 degrees incubation directly in to a 88-90 degree environment, that is and will most likely remain a subject of debate for quite some time. In theory, naturally fluctuating temperatures could easily oscillate between 6-8 degrees, but it would occur more gradually. I incubate my females at 80-82 degrees (pretty low!) and my males at 88-90 degrees (pretty high!), and actually have a very low egg mortalilty rate. I know some have had a lot of problems incubating at that high a temperature, but fortunately I have not.
I tested the "Tremper" method last year on a couple of clutches of albinos, and the results were fairly conclusive in regard to the coloration of the offspring, that there may be a real correlation in the levels of tyronaise (or yellow coloring) dependent on incubation temperatures. But, if that was the case in every instance, then ALL males would be brighter in color with less dark pigmentation than females simply because they are incubated at higher temperatures, and that simply is not the case!
Here are some pics of the albino offspring (same parents) that were incubated using the so-called "Tremper" method:
This male was incubated @ 90° for 38 days.
This female was incubated @ 80° for 21 days then 90° for 27 days.
This is the clutchmate to the female above, and she was incubated @ 80° for 57 days.
(*note: some breeders are calling these "chocolate" albinos in order to sell them as a new morph, but in reality they are just dark, brown albinos... formerly an undesireable trait.)
So, we may have to wait awhile to get the real scoop on color vs. temperature, but we do know how it affects gender!
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com
