If the ground is too dry in my enclosure (compared to the wet season in the wild), could they have sat underground for 3 or 4 weeks waiting for rain and when it didn’t turn up they were forced to raise to the surface.
This is another of those mysteries than no one has a real answer for, but plenty of guessing and speculation. Tomas from Senegal told me the the baby sulcatas hatch underground and stay there until the first rains come. I don't have any idea how it works for RFs, but the same strategy seems like it might have some survival advantages for them too. I wish I knew more.
I'll be intentionally hatching some SA leopard babies out of the ground about 13-14 months from now, and I'm pretty sure I missed two sulcata nest this year that should be hatching within the next month, so maybe we will gain some insight from that.
Last edited: