Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How many clutches do you consider adequate for a female? I leave my males in with 2-3 females for about 1 - 1 1/2 weeks. They do retain sperm but they only pop out about 3 - 4 clutches (4-6 eggs)in the season. I have heard some breeders have been able to get as many as 9 - 10 clutches (16-20 eggs) from 1 female! I read that too many clutches shorten the lifespan of the female. True? Opinions / experiences with this?

I have 2 females that have already layed 6 clutches after only being put in the males cage till breeding was seen, about 5 times during a one week period. And never put back with him after.
Then i have one that only layed 2 clutches after doing the same thing.
I think it depends on the female. The 2 that are working on the 7th clutch, one is a 2-3 year old proven breeder and the other is a first year breeder, so I guess you never really know how many you will get.
-----
Sarah H

I have 2 in with one male and neither has laid this far into the season. One is a proven 2nd year and the other is a first timer. They have food, hide boxes, water, calcium, a male, and a heat source, why wont they breed?

Thanks
Adam

They aren't housed with the male, I just put them in his encloser and they bred pretty quicklly.
Maybe you should try taking the male out for a few weeks then reintroducing him again.
And I really didn't get them to lay that much that is just what they have done after being introduced to the male about 5 times during a week period abut 3 weeks beore they started laying, but like I said I think it depends on the female because the other one I bred only layed 2 cluches after being with the male the same amount of time.
-----
Sarah H