Rhampholeon again

[filip]

Here are a few questions about my 2 Rhampholeon nchisiensis females that I received from a friend. He bought them in a store where they told him they were CB, that they were a pair and brevicaudatus! Since they missed the last 2 I suppose they are not CB...
1) One of my females, the one people told me is pregnant is not laying eggs and she doesn't look too healty. She keeps here eyes closed for long periods and looks always sleepy. She eats from time to time, maybe every 4-5 days and has a sluggish behavior. She still hasn't layed any eggs.
2) The second female is also getting huge. If they are WC I suppose they can be fertilized...I have them around 3 months...
3) Can they or will they lay egga that are not fertilized?
4) Will they have problems if I don't have a male to offer them?
Also, I having a hard time keeping them cool, the temperature here is reaching 42C and I am keeping the airconditon all day and night, but I can't give them a significant temperature drop at night (the temp. is around 23-27C)...
Thanks for the help
Filip

 

[Heika]

Here are a few questions about my 2 Rhampholeon nchisiensis females that I received from a friend. He bought them in a store where they told him they were CB, that they were a pair and brevicaudatus! Since they missed the last 2 I suppose they are not CB...
1) One of my females, the one people told me is pregnant is not laying eggs and she doesn't look too healty. She keeps here eyes closed for long periods and looks always sleepy. She eats from time to time, maybe every 4-5 days and has a sluggish behavior. She still hasn't layed any eggs.

It is possible for these girls to get egg bound.. I hope that isn't the case with your little female. The fact that she is still eating is good, but the temps you are keeping them at would be a major concern for me.

2) The second female is also getting huge. If they are WC I suppose they can be fertilized...I have them around 3 months...

Not only possible, but probable. Offspring from retained sperm seem to be a little less hardy than ones from fresh sperm.

3) Can they or will they lay egga that are not fertilized?

I know I have had eggs that seemed to be infertile.. but I am not sure if that means that they weren't fertilized or just died early in the incubation. To find out, one would have to keep a female or females by herself for all of her life and see if she lays eggs. Another keeper I know has had females in with a male that didn't seem to be very frisky, and they continued to lay eggs, but the vast majority didn't hatch. That would lead me to believe that they probably do continue to lay eggs. I am sure you are aware that the leafs tend to be amazingly reproductive.

4) Will they have problems if I don't have a male to offer them?

You shouldn't, but you will miss seeing some very cool interactions between these lizards.

Also, I having a hard time keeping them cool, the temperature here is reaching 42C and I am keeping the airconditon all day and night, but I can't give them a significant temperature drop at night (the temp. is around 23-27C)...

I have kept leaf chams in very warm conditions in the past, but have always been able to provide a very healthy night time drop. The only time I wasn't able to do that was in the middle of the summer when the AC went out.. and I lost several females over the following 24 hours. My temps went higher than what you are describing, though. If there is any way you can get a temp drop...

Hopefully, roo will chime in on this, as I have not kept the particular species you are referring to. I am pretty sure that he has.

 

[filip]

It is possible for these girls to get egg bound.. I hope that isn't the case with your little female. The fact that she is still eating is good, but the temps you are keeping them at would be a major concern for me.



Not only possible, but probable. Offspring from retained sperm seem to be a little less hardy than ones from fresh sperm.



I know I have had eggs that seemed to be infertile.. but I am not sure if that means that they weren't fertilized or just died early in the incubation. To find out, one would have to keep a female or females by herself for all of her life and see if she lays eggs. Another keeper I know has had females in with a male that didn't seem to be very frisky, and they continued to lay eggs, but the vast majority didn't hatch. That would lead me to believe that they probably do continue to lay eggs. I am sure you are aware that the leafs tend to be amazingly reproductive.



You shouldn't, but you will miss seeing some very cool interactions between these lizards.



I have kept leaf chams in very warm conditions in the past, but have always been able to provide a very healthy night time drop. The only time I wasn't able to do that was in the middle of the summer when the AC went out.. and I lost several females over the following 24 hours. My temps went higher than what you are describing, though. If there is any way you can get a temp drop...

Hopefully, roo will chime in on this, as I have not kept the particular species you are referring to. I am pretty sure that he has.

Hi Heika,
Many thanks for the detailed reply, I really appreatiate.
After I got the 2 females I ordered a few more hoping to get a male, but they were all sold! So now I can't find them a mate!
As for the temperature I am really keeping the AC on all day and night, however it is so hot these days that it cannot cool it down. At night it drops till 22-23, maybe a little less, but it is not going under 20C...
At what temp. do I have to try to keep them?
All the best
Filip

 

[Heika]

As for the temperature I am really keeping the AC on all day and night, however it is so hot these days that it cannot cool it down. At night it drops till 22-23, maybe a little less, but it is not going under 20C...
At what temp. do I have to try to keep them?

I like to see 17-18C at night for the leafs. Considering how hot it is getting during the day, a good nighttime drop is even more important. They seem comfortable with drops down to about 14C. I don't think I have gone below that for these guys.