Greetings,
I am new to the group and this is my first post. If not in the correct place, please move. Thanks.
Today, I discovered a hatchling in the enclosure holding a solitary female. And it has me wondering, can these geckos lay fertilized eggs months after being with a male? Here is the background and way I am confused (and absolutely delighted).
In either late December or early January, I "rescued" three Phelsuma grandis (1 male and 2 females) housed together at a local pet store. One of the females was badly battered by the other two (she had areas with skin lost and viturally no tail only a raw nub). I immediately separated her from the others which I left together as I was told they were a breeding pair.
A while back, I saw an egg shell in with the solitary female and assumed she laid an infertile egg and then ate it. And then, today, while feeding her, I found a hatchling. I do not think the hatchling was from the egg I saw because it is smaller than a week old hatchling produced by the breeding pair. So, if the hatchiling I found today was born in the last several days (if not today), the mother not only hid it well but she laid it over two months after being with the male. How is this possible? I understand snakes can carry sperm for long periods of time, can day geckos do the same?
I'm delighted by the newborn, but scratching my head as to how it happened...lol.
Thank you for explaining this to me.
~John
PS- the solitary female has recovered from her wounds. Her tail has regenerated and is now regaining all its color. The skin wounds have also healed nicely.
I am new to the group and this is my first post. If not in the correct place, please move. Thanks.
Today, I discovered a hatchling in the enclosure holding a solitary female. And it has me wondering, can these geckos lay fertilized eggs months after being with a male? Here is the background and way I am confused (and absolutely delighted).
In either late December or early January, I "rescued" three Phelsuma grandis (1 male and 2 females) housed together at a local pet store. One of the females was badly battered by the other two (she had areas with skin lost and viturally no tail only a raw nub). I immediately separated her from the others which I left together as I was told they were a breeding pair.
A while back, I saw an egg shell in with the solitary female and assumed she laid an infertile egg and then ate it. And then, today, while feeding her, I found a hatchling. I do not think the hatchling was from the egg I saw because it is smaller than a week old hatchling produced by the breeding pair. So, if the hatchiling I found today was born in the last several days (if not today), the mother not only hid it well but she laid it over two months after being with the male. How is this possible? I understand snakes can carry sperm for long periods of time, can day geckos do the same?
I'm delighted by the newborn, but scratching my head as to how it happened...lol.
Thank you for explaining this to me.
~John
PS- the solitary female has recovered from her wounds. Her tail has regenerated and is now regaining all its color. The skin wounds have also healed nicely.
