Good news and bad news

[Evan Jamison]

OK, the bad news first.

Our most recent clutch to hatch had 7 good size eggs (~100 grams each) and one runty looking boob egg (~60 grams), along with two slugs. Here's a pic when they were laid.



The two eggs with "windows" and the boob egg started to grow a little mold about two weeks before hatching. I kept the mold growth at bay, but pretty much left them alone. All the eggs pipped on day 53 except the little boob egg, so I cut it on day 56, and I was excited when I saw two distinct bodies, TWINS!!! But a closer look revealed that they had died a week or two ago. Here's a couple pics.





You can see the mold grown on the boob in the top pic. There was a fair amount of yolk left, and I'm not sure what the cause of death was. If they had hatched, they would have been very small, probably about 25 grams each. Although sad, it was still cool to see twins.

Now for the good news. We have a few picky feeders, and one girl has caused me a lot of stress for the past year. She is an '03 66% het axanthic, and weighed in at just under 1200 grams in November. She was feeding well then, and I decided to start running our het axanthic male in with her. (Her two siblings continued to eat through the breeding season and both weigh around 1900 grams now both now gravid too ) but she stopped eating shortly after contact with the male so I stopped breeding efforts. The male was only introduced once, and lock-up did occur way back in November. She did not feed the entire breeding season, and did not start feeding when I warmed them up in March. I was getting worried until I went to feed this week and came upon this...




I never felt for any follicles, I was not looking for ovulation, nor did I pay any mind to her last shed. In my mind she was not in the breeding group this year. At under 1200 grams, I would not expect many eggs, if any, but she laid 5 fertile eggs!!! The clutch weighed in at 430 grams, and she weighed in at 730 grams post-lay. They were slightly desiccated, so I expect they were laid a couple days before I found them.




With this clutch, I am fairly certain we will see some axanthic babies this season, and maybe sooner than I had hoped!!! Mom ate a small rat 10 minutes after pulling her eggs, and seems to be doing very well.

Thanks for looking!

-Evan

[JLC]

Wow....so sad about the little babies....but so awesome about the unexpected eggs! And sounds like "Mom" is doing well, too, which is excellent news. What a rollercoaster of a thread! How are the rest of the babies from that clutch doing? Gonna share pics of them, too?

[joepythons]

First off sorry about your loss of those twins .One a happier note maybe this clutch will produce all axanthics . Keep us posted

[MedusasOwl]

Geez, this week is full of surprises! It's sad about the twins, but W00t axanthics!

[jglass38]

Sorry about the twins Evan but then you get a nice surprise from that girl. Good stuff man!

[Emilio]

Wow lot's of up's and down's I guess that's how everything is. Hay axthanic's rock good luck and keep us posted.

[aaajohnson]

Thats a bummer about the twins, but congrats on the rest, and here is to some axanthic babies coming soon!!!




Neil

[muddoc]

Evan, Sorry about the twins. How is the rest of the clutch doing? And super congrats on that 66% het going for you. I just proved my first 66% and I am passing some luck on to you. Good luck with that clutch and keep us updated.

[frankykeno]

Wow up and down and up again eh Evan. Congrats on the good stuff, hugs for the bad stuff!

[iceman25]

Congrats on the the clutch and my condolences to you on loosing the twins.