Yellow male up to the plate again today...

[Jeff_Favelle]

Performing magnificantly! Females #3 and #4 were bred extensively today. #1 and #2 are already digging nest sites (or so it seems). Man, these lizards are the tops! I could stare at them all day long! Such characters! :D :D

http://members.shaw.ca/westcoastmonitors/breeding1.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/westcoastmonitors/breeding2.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/westcoastmonitors/breeding3.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/westcoastmonitors/breeding4.jpg


Thanks for looking!

John Satchwell &
Jeff Favelle


West Coast Monitors (http://members.shaw.ca/westcoastmonitors/web_page_coming_soon.htm)

[Matt]

what a stud!

[Tim Winegard]

Your so so lucky!!!
Have fun with all the little ones running around! :)

[sophia]

Nice shots Jeff...

Jon

[Jeff_Favelle]

Thanks all!! :D


But the hard part is getting fertile eggs and actually hatching them! But this is a great start, trust me!

:D

[Jamie]

Best of luck...keep us up to date and we will keep our fingers crossed for you

Jamie and Kory

[Jeff_Favelle]

Thanks man, and we need all the luck we can get!! :D

[Lisa]

it's funny with all the problems we have maintaining the proper temps, humidity etc for the eggs it's a wonder alot of these animals reproduce in the wild

[Jeff_Favelle]

Not really Lisa (sort of)....

They've evolved after thousands of years to occupy and exploit a series of microhabitats (their niche) more effectively/efficiently than any other animal (otherwise, they'd be outcompeted for it!). All this means that where these animals deposit their eggs in nature, is always the perfect spot for them! In a cage, which at best is a 12 square foot enclosure, we've tried to duplicate the "useful" parts of their niche to the best we can. But there's no possible way we can do it exactly. So we hope for the best and pray that a good nesting spot falls somewhere in our pitiful range of useful areas. If it does, then great! If not, then no eggs and angry monitors. LOL!

But yes, monitors appear to be one of the most prolific lizards in the world, with wild females constantly gravid. Their recruitment rates are supposedly phenomenal. Fecundity is not a problem with monitors! Even the big ones!