How often will she produce eggs?

[Greg T]

My female laid a clutch of 11 eggs on 2/1/13. Last week she was pacing her inside enclosure which I thought was strange. The next day was nice weather so they went outside and she digs a hole like she was going to lay again. She eventually gave up and went to sleep in her corner. The next day she paced in a different spot, but then it got colder again so she was back inside. Yesterday was great weather so she was outside again and she dug another hole about halfway and gave up. This is what she did last time before she laid, but could she possibly have eggs again this quickly? I haven't noticed any activity between her and my male lately.

This seems strange. Anyone have a similar experience?

 

[N2TORTS]

30-45 days .....is a very real number!

 

[Greg T]

30-45 days .....is a very real number!

Holy cow, that is not what I expected to hear. I'm excited about babies, but I really only expected to have eggs maybe twice a year. Guess my young male is much more energetic than I thought!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Greg:

In my experience, my leopard females only laid two clutches of eggs per year.

 

[Greg T]

Hi Greg:

In my experience, my leopard females only laid two clutches of eggs per year.

Thanks, I was talking with Neal also and he said about the same thing, which is why I found this recent activity kind of puzzling. I have her outside again today so I'll see if she tries digging another hole.

If she tries again, do you think she really does have more eggs already? I wasn't sure if maybe she was just confused since the last time was her first clutch or something.

 

[Yvonne G]

She may not have laid all the eggs last time. There's no way to guess. You'll just have to treat them like they're good.

 

[tortadise]

Yeah leopards are usually a 2 possibly 3 clutch with good producing females. But your right that is early for second clutch. Im with emys. She might have not laid the entire clutch. 8 days is too soon for eggs to be developed anf fertilized(second clutch). My question is. Whats her size and hoe many eggs did she get out last week. Obviously being her firsf time laying. There will be no way to know her clutch sizes. You might want to entertain an x-ray in a week or so if she is still acting odd, and trying to dig. I bet its the weather and in and out routine, as well her first time laying. So she is uncertain of what tomorrow will bring.

 

[N2TORTS]

Oops I thought he was talking Redfoots..... I knew it was too early [/php]

 

[Greg T]

Shes about 10 years old or so, 13 inches scl. She laid 11 eggs last time which I thought was a lot for the first time too. I'll just watch her and see what happens now. The other eggs are in an incubator and some show development while others do not.

This is exciting but I didn't want to get over-run by baby leopards everywhere!

 

[Tom]

Every 4-6 weeks is totally normal for leopards. It has a lot to do with environmental conditions and diet too. They do not have to breed each time. Leopard females can store and use sperm for five years. Maybe more.

Neal's probably quit laying because it gets sooooo hot there sooooo early in the season. My female sulcatas normally lay two or three clutches a year. Two years ago we has a very warm winter and a very mild summer and every one of them laid all year long. I got eight clutches out of each of them.

Your leopard sounds right on time to me.

 

[diamondbp]

My 18 inch sulcata laid 20 eggs feb 8th and just laid her 2nd batch of 18 eggs on march 9th only 29 days later!

I think Tom is correct. It's mainly environmental factors that will determine the amount/size/frequency of clutches. Im from Louisiana so there has only been a hand full of days this Winter when she wasn't allowed out to graze as usual . So its been basically nonstop feeding for her.I'll be curious to see if she lays again in April. Good luck

 

[Greg T]

Guess my question was answered last night. She started diggng another hole about 5:30 and was laying eggs by 9:00. She laid another 10 eggs this time, so now I have 21 in the incubator. I certainly wasn't expecting this to happen!

 

[Tom]

Sweet!

 

[Anthony P]

So happy for you! I'm sure there are plenty of people here who will help you if you feel "over-run" with baby Leopards, haha..

Good luck! It looks like you have a great young girl there who will make many babies in the years to come. Let's hope.

 

[diamondbp]

Looks you got a GOOD producer there, congrats!!