Scarlett laid her 7th clutch last night. She has laid one a month since August. Each has had 7 to 9 eggs. Are there any health concerns I should be considering, and anything I should do about it?
Seventh clutch for the year!
- Thread starter Jodie
- Start date
And NO pictures?
Of eggs? I took one put didn't attach cause didn't think anyone cared.
These are cuter though.
Too adorable!
It looks like you're doing just fine
Wow, that's a load!
I think the only thing you can do is ensure that she has a lot of calcium and lipids (fats) in her diet to offset the egg production.
It would also be interesting to see what the fertility of each clutch would be.
I think the only thing you can do is ensure that she has a lot of calcium and lipids (fats) in her diet to offset the egg production.
It would also be interesting to see what the fertility of each clutch would be.
Fertility is not great, but I didn't breed her. Will this year. She had surgery October 2014 to remove broken eggs and repair her uterus. She was a rescue. She broke into my young males enclosure twice last spring for short periods.
She is getting a lot of calcium. What would be good food choices for fats? I feed her mazuri a couple times of week.
Great pictures
That's funny---she broke into the male's enclosure. Usually it's the other way around.
I think that Mazuri is a decent supplemental food item if fed sparingly. As for lipids for a primarily herbivorous species, well, you got me there. That's a good question.
In omnivorous species like red-footed tortoises I will offer whole pre-killed mice, lean boiled chicken, and boiled shrimp to females that are laying a ton of eggs to boost lipids.
I haven't kept and bred leopard tortoises for many years but my one big female never produced that many clutches in a single year---although she did produce a load of eggs per clutch. Fertility was very high too. But in those days (early 80s) I didn't do anything special for my breeding leopard and Hermann's tortoises.
Tom and Kelly Hull (Tortadise?) would be two people who hopefully could contribute some info in this regard. They may advise no supplements, or have a suggested food item.
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Well the picture fills in some of the vital info otherwise not mentioned, like what species, that's always a good thing to throw out there when you are seeking advice or points of view. Age of the female, and or size? Longer term history helps too.
Lipid in the diet comes well from hard-boiled egg. You might even think of it as the near perfect egg laying lipid replacer, think about it.
I put about a tablespoon of water in a microwave safe bowl and scramble an egg with the water and then microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool and mix in with some green that is readily consumed, good to also mix in dry grass or hay of some sort, helps to allow the digestive track to move the bolus* of food back and forth.
I routinely use a layer mash or crumbles in tortoise diets. It's for birds that lay eggs. Layena Sunfresh has a wholly vegetable based range of fats and proteins.
Then onto some evolution POV. Scarlett may well be from or have the genetics of a leo from an area where many small clutches throughout the year produces a better result than large individual clutches once a year. Even within one population some individuals will be more inclined to contribute eggs close to one end of the spectrum of single large clutch versus many small clutches.
For the most part, be happy you have so fertile a group and don't mess with it too much.
*Bolus, one of the uncommon often used words on TFO for 2015.
Never! ! The are too cute!
Cool!
Neonate leopards are so clean looking
Neonate leopards are so clean looking
