Sequel to extremly confused (lol)

drewlowe · 06-09-03, 06:29 PM

Ok this is a story about my leos changing sex on me. Now you may chose to belive me or not (probly not). But my boyfriend and myself and a few close friends (that also keep reptiles) know it is 100% the truth. I'm going to try to break it down as easy as possible.

When i got my first 2 leos i had bought them at 5 months of age was told Loki was a male and Lyja was a female. Lyja died in 2 weeks of getting her (not my fault died of a calcium def. that was in her before i got her and nothing i could do to save her). So one of my close friends bought me a new leo Speedball Female. Ok so at this point i have Loki-Male, Speedball female. a few months go by and i decide to add to my collection. I get Domino-Female. a few more months go by and yet i want another girl so i find Phoenix -Girl.

Ok break down at this point Loki-Male, Speedball-Female, Domino-Female, Phoenix-Female. I decided to go get them sexed for reassurance. I was told That Loki was a girl and domino was the boy. So no problem i still have one boy and three girls. At this point they around 1 1/2. YEAH Speedballs pregnant but wait shes the only one for a whole year to get pregnant. Speedball laid only 2 eggs that season. Both of them hatched and one was a boy and the other a girl. so i decieded to sell the boy and keep the girl. Remember ive had these 4 leos at this point for over 6 months.

Ok next breeding season so to recap i've had the leos for a long time now. At this point i also accuire a new leo i had hatched from a friends clutch his name is lucky( born 2 weeks after rouge) i know hes a boy. and i have kept one from my clutch named Rouge. so i have 6 leos at this point. I introduce lucky to speedball, loki, and phonix, and rouge, all succesfully pregnant.

So i was wondering if domino was supposed to be my boy then why didn't she do the trick last season. So i decieded to introduce lucky which i knew was a boy to domino to see what happend. And i found out (mating) now domino is gravid. I'm completely blown at this point. because my original 4 all laid eggs how could this be. There was no way speedball was introduced to a male and i had her for over 6 months before she laid her first clutch. And come to find out the other 3 in the cage with her where all girls.

I know they can lay eggs without mating but i thought they would have been infertile. But mine werent they made it. So if anyone has any ideas let me know. If not i stick by it leos can change sex (i guess).

I want to hear anyones ideas on this and i swear on my whole collection of my reptiles i am not making this up at all. I have only told a few people because most people laugh at this. BUT IT'S TRUE!!!!

Thanks, Jamie

MartinW · 06-09-03, 07:53 PM

I don't know if this applies to leos, but it definitely applies to some geckos (I just don't know which ones). The females of some geckos can clone themselves, so don't need a male to lay fertile eggs. The problem with this is the genes aren't mixed up. Maybe your geckos cloned themselves?

BTW. I think I heard about that on Discovery channel.

Martin

Youkai · 06-09-03, 10:15 PM

Leos can retain sperm.
My guess is that despite what has been said by the people you got the leos from, Speedball was introduced to a male at some point. Perhaps even accidentally (ie - they thought she was with all females).
More than likely, when she was in her prime, she produced the eggs. Because it had been a long time since she had seen any male, she produced no more eggs until later (when she was with another male.)

The reason people laugh at the idea is because you are assuming something that has never been documented in leopard geckos, ever.
The simplest explaination is usually right. In this case, that she had seen a male prior to you recieving her.

drewlowe · 06-10-03, 10:42 AM

See thats another thing about her when i bought her she was only 3 or 4 months old. and i was told she was housed with only one other female. So how would another male come into play and i had her for over a year. I understand the sperm retention but how when she was on 3-4 months old. I don't know i was completely puzzled but ohwell i have my miracle baby rouge. which she is a great leo but she looks nothing like her momma. So i don't see how she would be a clone either. I guess i will never have a complete answer.

Youkai · 06-10-03, 12:56 PM

It is quite possible she was with a male prior to you having the animal. First, the animal housed with her could have been a newly developing male. Secondly, the person you got her from simply might not be telling the truth. If you haven't seen the animal every day since the day it was hatched, you do not know it's history.

drewlowe · 06-10-03, 01:11 PM

true i agree since i didn't have her from a hatchling. so it could be possible but she can hold sperm from age 3-4 months till a year and 1/2 later though. I didn't think that it was possible.

Youkai · 06-10-03, 02:13 PM

It's MUCH more possible than a virgin gecko laying fertile eggs in a species that has never been documented to clone themselves.

Also keep in mind that the gecko could have been older than what you were told. There are lots of possibilities.