Reptile & Amphibian Forums

First off is one that has been bugging me for quite some time. I cant seem to find the answer anywhere and I keep hearing varrying opinions on it. Do you introduce the female to the males enclosure, or the male to the females enclosure to breed?

Second is about the egg laying box and the females ability to find it.

My enclosure will be 30" x 18" x 30" and the setup will be pretty naturalistic and will have about 2-3" of coconut fiber as the substrate. My egg laying box will measure approx 5" x 5" x 5" and I plan to cut a hole at the top with a 2" diamter or so.

How can I be sure the female will find this nesting box and not lay someplace else? How can I be sure she actually knows where this box is?

Is there a problem if she does not lay in the box? How will I find the eggs in that case withought disturbing them and messing up the enclosure?

Also, whats the best thing to use as the nesting box substrate? I'm thinking some kind of soil or peat moss, about 3" sound okay?

Sorry for all the Q's in one post. Hope you can follow all of them! Thanks in advance!
-Jeff

I personally introduce the males into the females enclosure, as for the female finding the nest box she will find it but no guaruntees when you have a naturilistic setup i personally use newspaper as a substrate then they always lay there eggs in the box and once they are laid in the tank there will not be a very good chance of you finding them without destroying your tank. I have read somewhere that cresteds like to lay there eggs in the roots of the plant (just a hint). If you still decide to put a nest box in I would suggest 3 inches of slightly moist peat moss as a layin medium.

Derek

hey thanks man =)

Yea, much of the % seems to saying to introduce the males the females. Someone told me that males need to feel secure in their own cages to successfully breed, then again I am hearing that males will breed more aggresively while the female is uncomforatble if the male is introd...

grr my brain hurts. I think I'm liking the idea of male to fmelaes cage better though =)