Chahoua breeding Question (bonus pic)

[Nir]

This is for those who have had success breeding chahouas. My male is at a friends place presently and is with her female. We are hoping to make some tiny chahouas. We tried last year, had at least three good copulation, but nothing more. This year, we are trying again, and my male is doing a great job so far (see for yourself below). My question is, do you guys cycle the females in any kind of way to make them produce? Do you have any tricks whatsoever?

Thanks for your time!

 

[sikorae]

I do seperate the males from the females for around 3-4 months and cool them down.

 

[rhacoboy]

I do seperate the males from the females for around 3-4 months and cool them down.

This my first season, but I also did the same. So far I've witnessed several successful copulations.

Also, gravid females like to bask under lights. I use a 40 watt in my 24" tall cage during the breeding season.

Good luck, looks like they'll make some stunners!
-Armen

 

[Nir]

Thanks for the heads up. I don't if the female was cooled, but my male wasn't. If there is no success from these multiple copulations (she witnessed 5 already), then I guess we'll change tactics...

 

[krypticrhacs]

I cool my chahouas every year however I dont seperate my permanent pairs, I have had a pair together for about 5 years now and as long as I cool them they seem to regulate themselves. And always make sure the female chahoua has access to a lot of calcium as the eggs deplete her reserves.

 

[JoeH]

What is evryone averaging clutch # wise? This is my 1st year breeding R chahou as well. I've heard around 3 clutches with a 50% hatch rate is normal. Joe H

 

[krypticrhacs]

My one girl that has bred the longest and I have kept careful records on her breedings to regulate her cooling and set-up a schedule has had 4 clutches every year and she is kept together with her male year round. I have had very close to 100% hatch rate however that is due to the fact that I cut the eggs open after approximatly 100 days, sometimes I have waited longer. One time I opened them too early and I lost one of the babies because it was too young, while the other I hand fed jump start for the first 3 months of his life and He pulled through and is now a gorgeous male who is huge.

 

[rhachic]

I find that the first year can be as low as 1 dud clutch and 1 good clutch, but after that mine average 3-4 good clutches a year. My only exception is my 10 year old mainland female, she only ever lays 1 fertile and 1 infertile egg per clutch and only lays 2 of these clutches a year. Not sure if she's just old or if there's something wrong with part of her reproductive track, but other than that she makes great babies and the fertile eggs always hatch. I've had a 70% hatch rate, but i think i've just been lucky, and i'm only counting fertile eggs, if i counted her infertile eggs out of all my chahoua eggs every year it probably is more like 50%.
I usually separate males from females if they show any signs of slow weight gain or low calcium reserves. If the females still look tip-top shape then they stay with their mate and are cooled together. They stop breeding on their own when they're cooled, I just separate some of mine so the females are stress free and i can closely monitor their food intake/calcium.