Gecko not laying problem

[falconboy]

Hey all,

I purchased a a 'premium' pair of Strophurus geckos from interstate that arrived on 26th Sept. The female was/is gravid. Its fairly obviously gravid. It supposedly had already laid one clutch this season. But it hasn't laid or shown any signs of laying. Care, temps etc are the same as the strophurus in the enclosure beside this one, and both females in that one have laid 5 or 6 clutches each.

I've changed temps - higher, lower, more night time, less night time, more light, less light, covered them up incase they were a bit stressed in their new environment, thin sticks to climb, thick sticks to climb, a few different hides, different sized foods (woodies and crix, all dusted). Large lay box, small lay box, hole in side, hole in top, peat/sand/straight peat/straight sand.

She may still feel stressed, although don't see why after 3 mths, and covering them up for a while should have fixed that too. Today she even lifted her tail as if she was going to shoot goo at me as they can do to defend themselves under certain circumstances.

What the hell else can I do? This female is really peeving me off big time. Definitely not my best choice of purchase of herps so far.

 

[Mrs I]

I put a container of fairly damp vermiculite in with mine to lay in and make sure the container is dark in colour so she cant see out, havent had any problems since.

Before that i had tried everything sand, peat, mixture of both although she seems to like the vermiculite better.

Mrs I

xxx

 

[falconboy]

Bit low on vermiculite, but will get some more give that a try. Not sure if she will lay anytime to tell the truth, she should be so busting she should just want to spurt them out anywhere!!!

 

[MoreliaMatt]

i use vermiculite for all my geckos too.... they seem to love it compared to the other stuff....

also after 3 months you would think she would have laid slugs by now....

u sure she is gravid?

 

[falconboy]

99% sure. I'll try and get a photo later.

 

[Emydura]

I've changed temps - higher, lower, more night time, less night time, more light, less light, covered them up incase they were a bit stressed in their new environment, thin sticks to climb, thick sticks to climb, a few different hides, different sized foods (woodies and crix, all dusted). Large lay box, small lay box, hole in side, hole in top, peat/sand/straight peat/straight sand.

theres the likely answer and you figured it out yourself. Stress! if you came and re-arranged my living room that much and that often, id be p*ssed too! provide what they need and leave them alone. Geckos dont like the limelight.

other than that its around 3 weeks between clutches, when was the last clutch laid? are you even certain of sexes? you wouldnt be the first person ripped off buying from out of state.

if 'she' was gravid, either she laid the egg/s, you missed it/them, crix ate it, and/or it was slug/s and still moulding away under substate,(this should never be the case if you clean regularly) or 'she' was just fat not gravid. 3 months, no chance.
Im not sure if its possible for geckos to reabsorb eggs, thats one for geckodan.

 

[ari]

If this is the adult pair of Strophurus Ciliaris (Katherine form) you purchased from me....then I am unable to explain why you seem to be having so much of a problem with this female laying, The female was sold in mid stage of being gravid & has already laid various clutches to which juveniles have hatched.

One thing Emydura has mention which could possibly be a cause but I can't determine could possibly be stress. With my specimens I never handle them and leave them to their own devices to which is the reason why I have had so much success. Also the most important thing is lights out completely at 6pm and back on at 6am.

This isn't directed at you Falconboy but I know of various people keeping geckos who seem to have problems with breeding and laying which I think is partially due to having their setup in areas where at night there is lots of traffic in the home or lights on....this doesn't work as it stuffs up their internal day/night cycle.

Needless to say this is odd and I don't believe it to be egg binding, but some other factor. It can't be an illness as you have had them 3 months. Are you supplying UVA/UVB, but to a degree where the rays can actually penetrate into the enclosure? Calcium supply how often?

The general defending action from Strophurus I have never witnessed before in a captive environment, which is odd that she has done this.

 

[falconboy]

Emydura, these changes have been done over a period of 3 mths, there have been no major changes at any one time that would stress them out that much. The changes were only made, on advice from 'experts' since she was already overdue when it was suggested. She has absolutely not laid them.

Yes Troy, these are the ones from you. Seems they were perfect geckos with you, until they were shipped to me. As mentioned, they have geckos all around them laying - the pair beside both females have laid 5 clutches each. I must be doing something wrong.

As for being in a high traffic area, not only were they covered over for several weeks, its not as if there are dogs, cats and kids running past them, there is usually one person (me) for 14hrs a day and the misses doesn't go near them. Thats it. They were also moved to a room for about a month that we basically don't go in. Still nothing. I don't believe it is bad husbandry considering I'm having no trouble with any other geckos. Maybe they were treated roughly during shipping, dropped, thrown, who knows. They have never been handled by the way, by me. Seems she's just turned into a dud all of a sudden between Cairns and Sydney.

 

[Rocket]

Falconboy,
I had a similar issue with a female U.milii where she just wouldn't lay!!! Its very frustrating yet quite worrying when the female won't drop. Like you, I offered every style of laying boxy and enclosure layout over a long period. In the end, she dropped slugs in the open.

Is your female feeding still? Good Luck!

 

[Emydura]

Even over 3 months, thats constant changes in her enviroment, ie prolonged stress. have you observed mating? whats the male behaving like? can the female retreat from him? how many insects are you putting in at any time? are you heating the enviroment? what temps? are you misting for drinking or assuming shes using a bowl?
how can you be sure it was gravid when you received it? its quite easy to miss eggs and crix can devour and leave no trace.
again im not sure if its possible for gecko to re-absorb eggs, but she just simply cant hold them that long im sure.
so unless she re-absorbed them??? then either you were mistaken about her being gravid or you missed the eggs/slugs and then she went off breeding for whatever reason.
i dont know how long a gecko can be eggbound but im pretty sure she'd be dead by now.

geckodan is needed here.

 

[falconboy]

Been through temps, feeding, calcium. According to advice I've been given by experts along the way, everything has been done correctly. Keep in mind the pair beside them have given me 5 clutches each female under exactly the same regime, enclosure setup, temps, food, light, heat etc so it can't be all that bad.

I think I'll just put it down to (bad) experience and see what the rest of the season brings.

 

[ari]

Just because the females in the enclosures besides your current specimens has given you 5 clutches doesn't mean that there is an issue with your current pair. They are a relatively young pair & yes sure there maybe a possibility that she isn't gravid, who knows. Just because she hasn't produced for you in the last 3 months doesn't mean she will always be like this. There is many variables....and I ain't, like everyone else at your place to confirm. Remembering also that a few weeks ago I advised you that I would give you 2 x hatchies FOC due to your trouble.....which is something I do not have to do, but have done so in an attempt to keep you happy.

 

[falconboy]

Troy, I read a little frustration with this 'saga' in your tone mate. Theres no need. I didn't come on here accusing you of anything untoward as you implied n your PM to me - put it this way, anything I said was not intented that way. Simply frustrated with this female, as you are! Have a cool drink and relax mate.

Look forward to the juvies. Very kind of you.

 

[ari]

Yep am on valium.

 

[falconboy]

Can I get some? Whats the dosage for Strophurus? LOL :lol::lol:

 

[MoreliaMatt]

is she with a male at the moment?

 

[falconboy]

She is. He is leaving her well alone.

 

[MoreliaMatt]

ok, that is odd

 

[falconboy]

Its all odd mate.

 

[longirostris]

there seems to be a few of us having problems with gravid females holding on to their clutches instead of laying them. I have 2 Burns dragons and 2 centralis earless dragons holding on to clutches and for the life of me I can not get them to drop them. I know of one or 2 others who are also having this problem Iincluding highly respected and well known breeders. I wonder what is going on?