Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
Well, it has been abandoned.
As many of you know, Agnes decided to cycle a clutch of eggs during this time and it became necessary for me to raise the temperatures in order for her to successfully accomplish this task.
As a result of this some interesting things occurred that I feel are worth posting for your consideration.
Agnes first:
Once the temps were raised well into the 80's she got busy right away. Her activity increased immediately and within a few days she was digging and laid the eggs.
The eggs were the smallest I have seen (like overgrown tic tacs) and there were (I think) 47 ... I did not bother to keep them.
She took a lot longer to recover than she normally does, but is totally back to normal now and I am keeping things warm.
So:
she was receptive for over a month
she gestated the eggs longer (35+ days)
she produced very small eggs
she had trouble recovering
Kitty:
His reaction to the warm up was very interesting.
He started eating more than he has in over a year, and will now go immediately to his cup and eat everything as soon as I put it in.
He started a shed
He has been pooping once a week the last couple of weeks (as opposed to his normal once a month elimination)
I can't help but believe that the brumation period triggered all of this behavior in him.
I have started to increase the amount of time lights are on (a little early ... usually I start on December 21st) but they are still going to bed early, so they're not completely fooled into thinking it's spring.
Both are doing extremely well now ... drinking, eating everything provided and are quite active.
Top of the cage temps hover between 85 and 88 degrees f., bottom of the enclosure at around 72.
Night time cool down to 62.
In conclusion, I think I will do this again next winter for a short period of time. I do feel like it was beneficial to Kitty and would have been for Agnes as well had she not timed this clutch so poorly.
Cooler ambient temperature (60's) with a warmer daytime basking spot for 4 or 5 weeks will be the formula for next year.
-Brad
As many of you know, Agnes decided to cycle a clutch of eggs during this time and it became necessary for me to raise the temperatures in order for her to successfully accomplish this task.
As a result of this some interesting things occurred that I feel are worth posting for your consideration.
Agnes first:
Once the temps were raised well into the 80's she got busy right away. Her activity increased immediately and within a few days she was digging and laid the eggs.
The eggs were the smallest I have seen (like overgrown tic tacs) and there were (I think) 47 ... I did not bother to keep them.
She took a lot longer to recover than she normally does, but is totally back to normal now and I am keeping things warm.
So:
she was receptive for over a month
she gestated the eggs longer (35+ days)
she produced very small eggs
she had trouble recovering
Kitty:
His reaction to the warm up was very interesting.
He started eating more than he has in over a year, and will now go immediately to his cup and eat everything as soon as I put it in.
He started a shed
He has been pooping once a week the last couple of weeks (as opposed to his normal once a month elimination)
I can't help but believe that the brumation period triggered all of this behavior in him.
I have started to increase the amount of time lights are on (a little early ... usually I start on December 21st) but they are still going to bed early, so they're not completely fooled into thinking it's spring.
Both are doing extremely well now ... drinking, eating everything provided and are quite active.
Top of the cage temps hover between 85 and 88 degrees f., bottom of the enclosure at around 72.
Night time cool down to 62.
In conclusion, I think I will do this again next winter for a short period of time. I do feel like it was beneficial to Kitty and would have been for Agnes as well had she not timed this clutch so poorly.
Cooler ambient temperature (60's) with a warmer daytime basking spot for 4 or 5 weeks will be the formula for next year.
-Brad
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