Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello
i am new to this post thing and i am new to lizard breeding. i have always read that you have to make collared lizards hibernate in order to make them have babies. well i have never made ivan the girl hibernate. i have had her for a year and a half. last spring was no big deal. she did not get orange spots. on saturday (like two days ago) i woke up and went to give them kisses and she had orange all over her. the other girl silly milly has no spots but i have only had her since september and really have no idea how old she is. walter segundo is the one that i think is the boy and he has been doing the little shake shake dance. i also have no idea how old he is and have only had him since september. i have no idea if they have actually done anything or not and i cannot base it off her girth because ivan loves to eat. a guy at the pet store told me it could kill her if i did not breed her. is that true? is it possible that walter is too young or not ready since i never hibernated any of them? i don't want to kill her or hurt her so should i be looking into finding a boy for her that is ready? do you all know of anyone in san diego who i can talk to. please please please help me!
thanks vonnie

Truth of the matter is, a gravid lizard can die with or without fertilized eggs. It something called "eggbound" that kills them. For some reason, sometimes the eggs will not be expelled, thus killing the lizard. I've never had it happen yet thankfully.

Sounds like your lizards are plenty old enough to have offspring...they have shown us over the last few years that hibernating is not essential at all. I hibernated mine for 4 months, and they are all fooling me this year...very faint orange, but nothing to write home about. The male even seems like he's not interested too much either...

John

thanks for the info and it is nice to know about the hibernating. maybe some eggs are on the way...it will give me something to do this summer.
vonnie

Hibernating usually ensures the breeding will take place. Kind of stimulates their cycles. You can usually expect 2 or 3 clutches. I know Will Wells has had as many as five clutches in one season.

John

so just two other quick questions, which i am sure have been answered on this site a thousand times. how long does the deed last for? and how long after getting pregnant does she lay the eggs?
thanks, vonnie

I think it takes approx 3-4 weeks before they are ready to lay, but I've heard of them laying around 2-3 weeks apart before. Pretty crazy. There seems to be lots of variability there. I incubate around 80 degrees, and the eggs hatch in roughly 45-55 days.

John