Lygodactylus williamsi breeding help requested: What am I doing Wrong?

Airedale · #1 05-12-2011, 06:44 PM

So I have issues when it comes to breeding my williamsi pair. They have laid a ton of eggs, but only three have hatched. I figured out that the humidity levels was the main problem, so I shouldnt have too much trouble getting them to hatch now, but the two that have lasted more than 2 days have not lasted beyond that.

Well back to the beginning of my issue. I had a pair of eggs hatch the other day. They were laid, unfortunately, in a spot on the viv where I could not put a deli cup over them. So one baby was eaten when I wasn't looking, and the other was in the mother's mouth when I got to her. The baby survived the mom treatment (ironically on Mother's Day), but died last night. He seemed to be doing fine but wouldn't eat as far as I can tell. I had another like this, without the traumatic mother attack. He also ignored springtails, mashed fruit, CGD, and fruit flies. What am I doing wrong? The humidity and temperature is identical...

Also, how can I safely remove eggs to transplant to an incubator when they are laid in a place I can't cover with a cup? I have had mixed success with a razor blade (though 95% of the eggs I have broken have been duds). And do the eggs need to be kept in the same position they were in when they were attached to the wall? (Like leopard gecko eggs?)

I think I was fairly thorough with this, but if I was unclear, let me know.

Airedale · #2 05-12-2011, 07:50 PM

What leads me to believe it was a feeding problem was that they were very active at first (I figure still running on yolk energy), then slowed down to the point where they wouldn't move unless something touched them directly. (I figure when the yolk energy wore off)

hexentanz · #3 05-15-2011, 02:43 AM

What supplements are you using?
How often are you feeding the adults and how much at a time?
What are your incubation temperatures?
Does the female have any tubes to lay eggs in, such as bamboo, pvc pipe, florist tubes?

For eggs which cannot be covered or removed, you can only really rely on pure luck to catch them when they hatch unfortunately. :/

Chum · #4 05-15-2011, 10:50 AM

I just thought of a few additional question.

Do you provide UVB lighting to the adults and the hatchlings?
And what type of container are you housing the hatchlings in?

Regarding having eggs that can not be covered up I have much better survival rate if I keep the adults well fed when I know the eggs will soon hatch.

I have pictures of dad sitting right next to a newly hatched williamsi. On the other hand I have seen one female catch and eat a hatchling as well. (for that I only have traumatic mental images)

All in all I recon I am able to pull out approx. 75% of hatchlings hatching in the same vivarium as the adults (a 1.2 group) The terrarium is a 24x18x24 (or however the numbers should be listed) exo-terra with plenty of hiding places and liveplants and wines.

Airedale · #5 05-15-2011, 07:13 PM

I have the pair in a ten gallon aquarium, and I feed them every other day with baby roaches (as many as they will eat) and I keep CGD and mashed fruit in the viv at all times. The temps range from 100 (pretty much touching the top of the viv right under, and the basking spot is about 90) to 70 in the spots farthest away in the dark. The eggs are right about in the right temp for incubating. I think it is more just because I can't cover them (now that I solved the problem of keeping the humidity high enough for them to hatch). I have one that is covered now, two that are likely to hatch that I can't cover, and one that I think is a dud in the viv.

I have heard of people removing the eggs from the enclosure and moving them to an incubator. Do I just use a razor blade (carefully)? And I need to keep them oriented the way they were laid (right)?

hexentanz · #6 05-16-2011, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airedale

I have the pair in a ten gallon aquarium, and I feed them every other day with baby roaches (as many as they will eat) and I keep CGD and mashed fruit in the viv at all times. The temps range from 100 (pretty much touching the top of the viv right under, and the basking spot is about 90) to 70 in the spots farthest away in the dark. The eggs are right about in the right temp for incubating. I think it is more just because I can't cover them (now that I solved the problem of keeping the humidity high enough for them to hatch). I have one that is covered now, two that are likely to hatch that I can't cover, and one that I think is a dud in the viv.

I have heard of people removing the eggs from the enclosure and moving them to an incubator. Do I just use a razor blade (carefully)? And I need to keep them oriented the way they were laid (right)?

They need a little more variety in their diet. Eating the same thing over and over isn't too nutritious. Which leads me to believe this may be one of the actual failure reason for your eggs.

With Repashy in the tank there is no real need for the fruit imho.

What other supplements are you providing besides the Repashy?

Provided the temperatures in your tank are correct, the eggs should have the right amount of humidity without the aide of covering them up with something. Covering them up usually is only done to protect them from the parents.

What are your humidity levels in the tank? Do you have any live plants?

I realize you are excited to get the eggs going and it is frustrating they are not, but I think we need to make sure other factors are okay first.

Airedale · #7 05-16-2011, 08:39 AM

Sorry I wasn't clear. I do feed other stuff besides the roaches (baby mealies, fruit flies) along with repashy, I give mashed banana and other fruits, and the humidity usually stays around 80%. The eggs I cover are to protect them from the parents.

hexentanz · #8 05-16-2011, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airedale

Sorry I wasn't clear. I do feed other stuff besides the roaches (baby mealies, fruit flies) along with repashy, I give mashed banana and other fruits, and the humidity usually stays around 80%. The eggs I cover are to protect them from the parents.

Okay, so other insects are involved here. This is good, but are you dusting them with anything or are you just tossing them in there?

I want to help you as does Chum, but you really need to answer all of the questions as detailed as you can. Otherwise we are just sitting here guessing without getting to the actual cause.

Does the female have any tubes to lay eggs in, such as bamboo, pvc pipe, florist tubes?

Airedale · #9 05-18-2011, 06:48 PM

Sorry. Yes, she has a couple of plastic and bamboo tubes, but she generally ignores them and glues the eggs on the rim of the aquarium. I have the tubes all over, both near and far from the basking area. I dust the prey items with calcium/multivitamins, along with another powder that includes D3 with it (I don't feed this every feeding, about every other or every two feedings, since i heard too much D3 can be toxic).

hexentanz · #10 05-19-2011, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airedale

Sorry. Yes, she has a couple of plastic and bamboo tubes, but she generally ignores them and glues the eggs on the rim of the aquarium. I have the tubes all over, both near and far from the basking area. I dust the prey items with calcium/multivitamins, along with another powder that includes D3 with it (I don't feed this every feeding, about every other or every two feedings, since i heard too much D3 can be toxic).

Were the tubes added before her adding or after? Would be interesting to note. I usually find they ignore them if the tubes were added later on.