Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

Rickeezee · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 4:49 pm Post subject: Yemen breeding age

Hi

Not having previously kept any yemens, but contemplating doing so, as soon as I have learnt enough to properly care for them. Can anyone please advise; I have read that it is best to wait till a female yemen is about a year old b4 she breeds. I have also read it is best to let her breed as soon as she is ready, to prevent death by being egg bound. As stated I have no experience and wondered what peoples pratical experiences have been when they have successfully bred yemens. Cheers Rick

jim_radley · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:49 pm Post subject:

She'll need to be atleast 12 months old before you attempt to breed from her. Males can breed at around 6 months.

Rickeezee · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:56 pm Post subject:

Thanks
So waiting for at least a year is OK and no higher or lower risk of egg binding?
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Scott W · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:30 pm Post subject:

size is more important than age, I have had several clutches from 5 month old females. It is best to wait and make sure the female is fully grown (this can be 5 months to 12 months depending on feeding schedule etc).

To reduce the risk of egg binding, place a suitable nest box in with the female straight after mating. This will give her plenty of time to find it and become happy with it.
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Rickeezee · Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:48 am Post subject:

I can see the logic in that; so probably best to wait a year to be on the safe side. I was curious as per my first post on the topic due to the conflicting info I had read. So even b4 mating when the yem is gravid increase calcium and ensure egg laying material is readily available to help prevent egg binding?
Rick

Scott W · Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 11:42 am Post subject:

the longer you wait and the bigger the female is, the more eggs you should get (a friend had over 105 for his first clutch!). I normally place a nest box in with the female a day or so after mating.
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Rickeezee · Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 1:25 pm Post subject:

So in the wild what would the average clutch size be? 105 is incredible. Totally off topic what is the best vitamin / mineral supplement; a) to gut load crcikets with, b) to dust the crickets with. I've heard that synthetic vits/minerals can cause various problems in chams, especially synthetic vitamin A.
cheers Rick

Remember a turkey is not for life, just for xmas!

Scott W · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:17 am Post subject:

wild yemens have been found to lay less than 20, and not so many clutches either. As has been shown in captive animals, wild yemens have huge potential, my theory is that if conditions are right and a large amount of prey foods are available then they probably lay the larger clutches (40's plus). This may only happen every few years due to being such a harsh environment.
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Rickeezee · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:33 am Post subject:

Makes sense, I guess if times are lean then survival instinct kicks in at some point and when conditions are right more eggs may be produced the next time round to ensure survival of the species.

Not quite the same thing but fat cells have a chemical memory and if starved will take in more fat than required when conditions are right and food is readily available, in response to lean times and to safeguard against lean times in the future. I know this has nothing to do with chameleons but the principal is similair if you see what I mean. Thats why yo-yo dieting is no good!

cheers Rick

Scott W · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:41 am Post subject:

not actually heard that about fat cells but I did have that theory myself Cool

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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk