Last winter, as in winter before this last one, I painstakingly brumated all of my adult collareds. Last summer, Momasita and FD laid the following number of clutches and eggs, and I had around a 95% hatch rate:
Momasita: 5 clutches, 8-9 eggs per clutch, 7-9 eggs hatched per clutch
Fancy Dancer: 2 clutches, 7-8 eggs per clutch, 6 eggs hatched per clutch.
This past winter, I decided not to brumate any of the collareds because I am still trying to place all the dang babies from last ear. The lights were kept on all winter, though I didn't mess with adjusting heat as the temps dropped. We have fairly mild winters here. I live in SE Texas. When temps dropped consistently for a few days, the collareds would slow down and even sleep for a few days straight here and there and I did fast them for a few days prior to each cold snap, but they ate and basked and stayed awake for just as much time as they slept all winter. So I guess you could say they semi brumated at best. They certainly did not fully brumate.
So far this season:
Momasita: 2 clutches, ELEVEN eggs first clutch, TEN eggs second.
Fancy Dancer: 2 clutches, 9 eggs each
I will keep yall posted on the hatch rate, but all eggs are fertile, and all but the ones that the girls broke while laying are growing in the hovabator. In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions about how to slow these girls down, I would gladly appreciate it. I think they are competing with each other! lol I am worried, though, particularly about Momasita. She had slight calcium deficiency after that first 11 egg clutch (I wonder why?? LOL!) and I am about to go dose her with calcium. She just dumped 10 more last night.
