My Lygodactylus williamsi eggs aren't hatching!

[Molly p.]

I am new to this species, having obtained a pair in July. The female has laid 13 eggs since August and not one has hatched. The ages of the clutches are: 119 days(in viv), 91 days, 78 days(in viv), 56 days, 40 days(in viv), 23 days and 6 days. 5 are glued in the vivarium(noted) and 8 eggs are in florist tubes on a bed of moss in a plastic container with a vented top. the humidity in the plastic cont. is 50-70% and the temp is is 74-76F during the day with a drop to about 70F at night. I am hoping someone can tell me what I am doing wrong.

 

[acpart]

I am hardly a williamsi expert, having hatched just my first 2 and these did not survive for more than a week (working on making a better environment for the next 2). I would imagine that it's possible that the eggs aren't fertile. It's also possible that there is more temp fluctuation than you think. If you have access to an incubator, you may want to consider trying that. I hope some better experts will respond soon.

Aliza

 

[hexentanz]

Hi Molly,

Can you tell me a bit about the females nutrition? Also do you have any pictures of the eggs?

 

[Molly p.]

Thanks for helping!
Quick update: the oldest egg is definitely dead and one in the vivarium hatched at 82 days( no sign of it-probably eaten)
I'm embarrassed to say it but I think I have been overfeeding/ oversupplementing my little Lygos... They have had almost continuous access to flightless fruitflies as well as getting day gecko MRP (occasionally with a bit of fruit baby food )2x a week, 1-2 week crickets dusted alternately with Rep-Cal Herptivite or Ca w/ Vit. D3 4-5x a week and a few tiny molted mealworms 2x a week. I should know better because I have read many of your posts re: nutrition.
I reduced the feedings to crickets 3x a week, MRP 1x a week, a few tiny mealworms 2x week, and fruitflies 1x week starting in Nov because I was worried my female was overproducing. I know that obesity is detrimental to to her health- I will follow your advice from here on out. I do love these little guys and am serious about preserving the species.
My girlie was 1.1g when I got her in July and now she is 2.1g(weighed 3 days post egg laying)!

I have attached pics of the eggs and a pic of the Peabody herself (taken today).

 

[acpart]

It has been recommended to me that I separate my male and female L. williamsi to prevent overproduction. I'm not sure if decreasing nutrition will curb her production as much as separating her from the male.

Aliza

 

[Molly p.]

I am planning to do that. I seem to recall that Maureen Winter posted something to that effect at some point. I hope to have a second L. williamsi vivarium set up by the end of the month.
Also , I forgot to mention that my female has crushed cuttlefish bone available and today she ate some of the shell of her own egg out of my hand. So damn cute. I put the rest of the broken shell in her cuttlefish bone bowl.

Molly

 

[hexentanz]

That is most certainly a lot of food. I feed my animals insects twice weekly (Monday & Friday) and offer them Repashy on Wednesday. On Monday they get either Fruitflies, Firebrats, (Grain or Bean) Beetles or Pea Aphids for example and on Friday Crickets or Woodlice. Monday is my regular vitamin day and Friday Calcium Day. There is no need to dust the woodlice so long as they have been gut loaded properly. Cuttlefish Bone is left in the terrarium constantly.
As for your eggs, they look fertile enough, my bet is there is too much temperature fluctuations not allowing them to hatch properly or the overfeeding of the mum, but most likely the first issue.

 

[WilliBond0007]

How I have gotten to over 30 Lygo williamsi

I have a colony of them and can tell you what I do. I mix the vit and cal in withe fruit. Either organic bananas or grapes. You want your females to have large calcium sacs on the sides of their necks/jaws since they can store calcium.
I buy smallest of crickets and feed them essentially what I eat, which is health food. When I buy the smallest crickets I can make sure I gut feed them with healthy food.

I have just started a Fakebook page dealing with this genus. I have kimhowelli and a yellow head as well.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lygodactylus/219704574873356?fref=ts
I would be VERY happy if you all join. I started it in the hopes of finding people close to St Louis whom I could trade with. I don't like shipping and am willing to drive far just to trade. Currently I have 10+ males and 6+ females. The + is because I have many younglings who are unsexed.
I also have a uTUbe channel with videos of my colony over the years

WilliBond0007 - YouTube

I truly must put up a recent video of my setup as it is today. I am currently in a cool down phase, where they get less than 12hrs of light and it's somewhat cooler. All the females are alone except for one male I traded for who is unrelated to any of them. None are laying eggs. The females are in 3 18in/45cm cube exoterras and I switch the male around them. These are my nurseries. I only have truly small hatchlings in one of them. I highly recommend getting asparagas fern to grow in your nurseries, since the hatchlings can hide in them easily. Also MUSH MAUL MANGLE all spiders. Spiders will eat hatchlings. I usually like spiders, but NOT in my lygo tanks.

All my males are in 181212 or 12 cubed ecoterras athe moment. I really need to make a video and will hopefully do so tomorrow. Or the next day. [Very busy. Expecially with Christmas almost here.]

ANYWAY, I am looking to raise the temp in the females cages and hopefully will have some new ones I have traded with y'all/yous guys next month. I begin warming them up in either February.

WilliBond0007 - YouTube