How Babies Are Made
or
Reproduction in Captivity
Wally and I sure surprised everyone in February of 1997 with eggs. We had been living there less than a year and no one was even sure of our ages (and I'm not telling). I think everyone thought we were just getting fat. We then discovered the awesome as well as educational experience of raising little ones.
Breeding:
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I suppose you
already know you need a male and a female. It's hard to tell our
sexes apart as we look so much alike upon hatching, as we mature
though, the males develop "larger heads,with prominent nuchal
and mid-sagittal crests of spines. |
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The femoral pores
(visible as a line of small circular scales on the underside of each
rear leg) are much larger in the males than the females."
(Mader, 1997, p.100). As you can see on Huey, a male, the pores are
definitely more noticeable. You can hardly see my pores. |
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Our people follow de Vosjoli's recommendations to stimulate breeding. They adjust the photo-period to about 10 hours of daylight for at least 2 months during the winter season to give us a rest period. Temperatures are dropped at this time also. The average day temperature is about 80 and the night temperature around 70. During this period, we don't eat as much either.
At the end of the rest period, gradually, over a week's time, the photoperiod and temperatures are returned to normal. Our appetites increase, so please remember to give us more food and be certain to supplement the female's food with calcium for proper egg production. You could tell when Ide got the notion for breeding as he'd begin alot head-bobbing and chasing us around. If I was receptive to his advances, I'd allow him to hold me by the nuchal crest and I'd raise my tail in order for copulation to occur. Sometimes he was a bit rough and it was not surprising to find bites on me, especially on the crest.
De Vosjoli also suggests separating the females from the male for a week prior ro breeding. Due to space constraints where we live, that has not been attempted.
Egg Laying and Incubation:
Let's see now... Once gravid I lay eggs about 2 months after breeding. During the breeding season, I usually lay one clutch each month for 5 - 6 months.
As egg laying time nears, I eat less, sometimes going a week and even
longer without anything. Then I begin digging in various spots around the
enclosure looking for an appropriate egg-laying site. I prefer burrowing about
8" beneath the plant. Wally always preferred the drain tile. Once the hole
is large enough, I'll back into it and lay 7- 8 eggs. Wally laid 12. After laying the eggs, I have to immediately cover them up. Hard work, laying eggs! The eggs are about 3/4 to 1 inch long when laid.
Now, what you need to do in order to help the eggs
to hatch:
Carefully dig up the eggs. When removing them from the laying site do not turn them. Keep the egg in the same position in which it had been laid. Eggs should then be placed in a container of moist vermiculite. Bury each egg in the vermiculite leaving one-third of it exposed. Cover the eggs with moist sphagnum moss and place the container in the incubator. Our eggs are incubated in a hovabator.
De Vosjoli suggests maintaining the incubator temperature between 84-86. Mader says 87. Ours are maintained about 84-85. Humidity should be near 100%. Lightly mist the moss each day.
The incubation period is between 60-70 days. My eggs have hatched in 63-65 days. The eggs will more than double their size during this time.
Hatchlings 
My hatchlings measured about 1-1/2 inch snout to vent (SVL), and 5 to 6 inches in total length (STL) (photo right). Their faces remind me of E.T. in the movie. The heads and eyes appear very large. Although a brownish color when they first hatched (see baby pictures) our babies greened up after a short time.
My hatchlings began eating within a day or two after emerging from the egg. They should be offered food small enough for them to swallow easily. Mine were fed 3 week old crickets (about 1/4 inch), baby king worms, earthworms and sometimes a wax worm. The food should be dusted with calcium.
The enclosure the hatchlings are maintained in should be kept warm. I have mine at 85-87 night and day with a cooler area (75) if they desire.
They also need space to move about. The hatchlings seem to enjoy running and leaping among branches and need room to do so. Also include a swimming area and keep the water clean.
To see the Baby Pictures visit our Photo Page.
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