HI there again guys!!!
So for my first question, I used to breed birds (quails specifically) in which you could hold off on incubating them for several days until you collected enough to incubate them all at one time. I ASSUME this isn't possible for leo eggs BUT I thought it was worth it to ask. It doesn't really matter either way, just genuinely curious. I assume they would probably dehydrate if left to wait, but lets say you left them for a couple of days for other females to lay their eggs and incubate all at once, is it possible or do they pretty much need to be immediately put into the inc?
My other question is about this group breeding thing....I know if they don't get along it is not a good idea and I also know that if doing a group thing it needs to be MORE than one female per male and up to I think i read 5. I am going to have three total females to my one male to start off with.
One more question while I'm at it, since you can pretty much CHOOSE males or females, how do YOU breeders decide what you want male or female wise? Just off of your breeding goals and what you would ideally prefer? I ask because I see many breeders having an over stock of males available for sale....just curious if theres a reason for this, or if it's just easier to get males? I personally would like at least in the beginning to get a mixture of males/females, not really concerned about more of one or the other. I have seen a mixture of different recommendations on temperatures in the inc...to get an even number, what is the ROCK SOLID temp in your personal opinions?
One more too! Other than making my own homemade incubator, what incubator do you guys recommend to purchase (like what do you swear by)? I've had "little giant" incubators, a "hovabator" and even a gigantic sears roebuck redwood cabinet incubator at one time (for birds of course)...I want a PROFESSIONAL incubator preferably one specifically for reptiles (temperature settings) but if you guys say swear by a hovabator or something I guess I'll consider it. I've just seen these nice cabinet incubators professional breeders have used but I can't see anywhere where they actually mention the brand. Of course I can look online myself but I would rather hear from "tried and true" breeders here before I do my research on that part of this endeavor.
I absolutely have enough cages and heating and everything else needed if they have to be separated but for sake of asking, lets say they all get along well. Does anyone else here group breed and IF so, (and I realize this is probably a really stupid question) but is there any really valid way of KNOWING whos eggs are whos aside from only finding two eggs and only seeing one female with an empty belly who before was with two eggs? Again, I feel like this is a stupid question but I was just curious if anyone had any tips or tricks.
I would be FULLY willing to remove the females once I saw them breed to their own cages in order to guarantee which egg(s) comes from which females IF that's the only way...again just curious.
I also see on a lot of these breeding question posts that lots of genuinely caring breeders and leo owners warn about the amount of babies that will be had and all of that. For me, that IS the point, I am well aware just how many I could potentially have, I want as many as possible to grow up and know without a doubt which ones I want to keep morph wise etc. I have a SHTCB (1 male and 2 females *One female will be here next week sometime*) and I am also getting a "dark project" female that I am pretty excited about that I know will take years of selective breeding to even get something I'm excited about. So no worries there, I want a room full of babies to work with selling them is far from my mind right now...and breeding season isn't even here yet.
Thank you so much for your time guys! I appreciate it!
So for my first question, I used to breed birds (quails specifically) in which you could hold off on incubating them for several days until you collected enough to incubate them all at one time. I ASSUME this isn't possible for leo eggs BUT I thought it was worth it to ask. It doesn't really matter either way, just genuinely curious. I assume they would probably dehydrate if left to wait, but lets say you left them for a couple of days for other females to lay their eggs and incubate all at once, is it possible or do they pretty much need to be immediately put into the inc?
My other question is about this group breeding thing....I know if they don't get along it is not a good idea and I also know that if doing a group thing it needs to be MORE than one female per male and up to I think i read 5. I am going to have three total females to my one male to start off with.
One more question while I'm at it, since you can pretty much CHOOSE males or females, how do YOU breeders decide what you want male or female wise? Just off of your breeding goals and what you would ideally prefer? I ask because I see many breeders having an over stock of males available for sale....just curious if theres a reason for this, or if it's just easier to get males? I personally would like at least in the beginning to get a mixture of males/females, not really concerned about more of one or the other. I have seen a mixture of different recommendations on temperatures in the inc...to get an even number, what is the ROCK SOLID temp in your personal opinions?
One more too! Other than making my own homemade incubator, what incubator do you guys recommend to purchase (like what do you swear by)? I've had "little giant" incubators, a "hovabator" and even a gigantic sears roebuck redwood cabinet incubator at one time (for birds of course)...I want a PROFESSIONAL incubator preferably one specifically for reptiles (temperature settings) but if you guys say swear by a hovabator or something I guess I'll consider it. I've just seen these nice cabinet incubators professional breeders have used but I can't see anywhere where they actually mention the brand. Of course I can look online myself but I would rather hear from "tried and true" breeders here before I do my research on that part of this endeavor.
I absolutely have enough cages and heating and everything else needed if they have to be separated but for sake of asking, lets say they all get along well. Does anyone else here group breed and IF so, (and I realize this is probably a really stupid question) but is there any really valid way of KNOWING whos eggs are whos aside from only finding two eggs and only seeing one female with an empty belly who before was with two eggs? Again, I feel like this is a stupid question but I was just curious if anyone had any tips or tricks.
I would be FULLY willing to remove the females once I saw them breed to their own cages in order to guarantee which egg(s) comes from which females IF that's the only way...again just curious.
I also see on a lot of these breeding question posts that lots of genuinely caring breeders and leo owners warn about the amount of babies that will be had and all of that. For me, that IS the point, I am well aware just how many I could potentially have, I want as many as possible to grow up and know without a doubt which ones I want to keep morph wise etc. I have a SHTCB (1 male and 2 females *One female will be here next week sometime*) and I am also getting a "dark project" female that I am pretty excited about that I know will take years of selective breeding to even get something I'm excited about. So no worries there, I want a room full of babies to work with selling them is far from my mind right now...and breeding season isn't even here yet.
Thank you so much for your time guys! I appreciate it!