DragnDrop
06-20-04, 08:24 PM
.... until the fat gecko lays her eggs.
One of my het for blizzard females hadn't laid any eggs since the last clutch on May 2. Since I'm making some changes in my breeding projects, I had to clear out some blizzards and hets. She was done laying for the year, and spent the last 7 weeks gaining back all the weight she lost from breeding. I thought she'd be a good one to take to the Newmarket show on Saturday. On Friday night I checked her over, almost pudgy, her tail was fat, generally seemed to be in good enough shape to take the stress of spending time at the show sitting in a critter keeper.
Imagine my surprise when I unpacked the geckos at the show and found she'd laid 2 eggs in the critter keeper in the 5 hours since I'd packed her up!! One egg looked a bit 'off', but the other was perfect. There was no sign that she was carrying eggs when I checked her the night before, and eggs that close to being laid would have been obvious. She had the last laugh here.
What can you do with 2 fresh eggs at a show????
Luckily I had some pocket warmers and spare delicups with me. The eggs were lightly stuck, but I got them off with just the gentlest nudge, put them in a delicup with moist paper towel, then put the whole thing into a bigger cup with the heatpack.
Turns out Bruce from Arachnophiliacs (nice guy, great looking spiders) bought her right at the beginning of the show. I hope the eggs hatch for him, it's not likely they'd be too affected by the transport this early, they'd probably still be in diapause the first day or so.
(Nothing like knowing you bought a proven breeder, huh? ;) )
One of my het for blizzard females hadn't laid any eggs since the last clutch on May 2. Since I'm making some changes in my breeding projects, I had to clear out some blizzards and hets. She was done laying for the year, and spent the last 7 weeks gaining back all the weight she lost from breeding. I thought she'd be a good one to take to the Newmarket show on Saturday. On Friday night I checked her over, almost pudgy, her tail was fat, generally seemed to be in good enough shape to take the stress of spending time at the show sitting in a critter keeper.
Imagine my surprise when I unpacked the geckos at the show and found she'd laid 2 eggs in the critter keeper in the 5 hours since I'd packed her up!! One egg looked a bit 'off', but the other was perfect. There was no sign that she was carrying eggs when I checked her the night before, and eggs that close to being laid would have been obvious. She had the last laugh here.
What can you do with 2 fresh eggs at a show????
Luckily I had some pocket warmers and spare delicups with me. The eggs were lightly stuck, but I got them off with just the gentlest nudge, put them in a delicup with moist paper towel, then put the whole thing into a bigger cup with the heatpack.
Turns out Bruce from Arachnophiliacs (nice guy, great looking spiders) bought her right at the beginning of the show. I hope the eggs hatch for him, it's not likely they'd be too affected by the transport this early, they'd probably still be in diapause the first day or so.
(Nothing like knowing you bought a proven breeder, huh? ;) )