A question about eggs and fertility

I have a 1 year old female veiled who is currently developing her 2nd clutch of infertile eggs (I know this as she had an x-ray last week that showed development) My vet suggested she will be ready to lay in 3 - 4 weeks. However when I let her near my male (who goes absolutely crazy for her!) she shows receptive behaviour.

My question is this: Up to what point in the development of eggs is it possible for a male to mate and fertilize the eggs?

Thanks,

ChameleonMom said:

I have a 1 year old female veiled who is currently developing her 2nd clutch of infertile eggs (I know this as she had an x-ray last week that showed development) My vet suggested she will be ready to lay in 3 - 4 weeks. However when I let her near my male (who goes absolutely crazy for her!) she shows receptive behaviour.

My question is this: Up to what point in the development of eggs is it possible for a male to mate and fertilize the eggs?

Thanks,

Click to expand...

I'm not sure, but i have had females who had eggs then mated then laid about two weeks later and had a fertile clutch.

djfishygillz said:

I'm not sure, but i have had females who had eggs then mated then laid about two weeks later and had a fertile clutch.

Click to expand...

Wow, seriously?? I didn't expect it to be such a short period of time between fertilization and laying. I wonder if its a period of time set in stone or if its different for each female or different between species? Hmmmm....it would be interesting if one of the vets could chime in as I'm interested to know!

I'll chime in....but I don't know the answer! I don't think that is a topic that has much, if any, real research behind it yet. My best suggestion would be to ask some of the big breeders since they are the ones with the most experience in that department.

Lynda (Kinyonga) would be an excellent person to ask about this. I've always heard that if they are mated too late in their cycle that only part of the eggs would be fertile but I have no idea what to late in the cycle would be.

If the female is receptive then you can mate her. She knows what she is doing IMHO.

As far as there cycle goes...there isn't much information about it except that for veiled chameleons one study seemed to indicate that it was about every 120 to 130 days between infertile clutches.

I have noticed though that sometimes when they are mated what I feel is late in their cycle the next clutch they lay after the mating will contain infertile and fertile eggs. The one after that can also contain I fertile eggs...but could also only be fertile eggs. I have also seen instances where the female will "dump" an infertile clutch sooner than he normal 30 days after mating and then go on to lay a fertile clutch soon after.

I think there is a lot more studying that needs to be done before we will have clear answers.

My female is gravid for at least a month and she was mated today for the first time. I'm curious if her eggs will be fertile

jannb said:

Lynda (Kinyonga) would be an excellent person to ask about this. I've always heard that if they are mated too late in their cycle that only part of the eggs would be fertile but I have no idea what to late in the cycle would be.

Click to expand...

That's intresting. Does it mean that some eggs develop earlier and some later? If so, does it happen only when female mates while she had already developed eggs?

bump, bump

My female just laid 52 fertile eggs and she mated 2 weeks before she laid she just wasnt receptive till then

mcleodschams said:

My female just laid 52 fertile eggs and she mated 2 weeks before she laid she just wasnt receptive till then

Click to expand...

This subject seems a little confusing to me! And without being difficult, how do you know exactly that the eggs are fertilized?? And did she show gravid behaviour AFTER being mated?

My girl is STILL receptive to my male and yet I have an x-ray from my vet dated November 22nd that is showing egg development. I am seriously stressing my male out by using him as the "gravid detector" of my female. Will she ever show gravid behaviour or can she still be 'receptive' and lay?

My vet said on November 22nd that she will lay in 3 - 4 weeks which is coming up quick yet she's not showing gravid behaviour!

I just know she's doing this to stress me out!! lol

how do you know if your female cameleon is pregnant??????????

ChameleonMom said:

This subject seems a little confusing to me! And without being difficult, how do you know exactly that the eggs are fertilized?? And did she show gravid behaviour AFTER being mated?

My girl is STILL receptive to my male and yet I have an x-ray from my vet dated November 22nd that is showing egg development. I am seriously stressing my male out by using him as the "gravid detector" of my female. Will she ever show gravid behaviour or can she still be 'receptive' and lay?

My vet said on November 22nd that she will lay in 3 - 4 weeks which is coming up quick yet she's not showing gravid behaviour!

I just know she's doing this to stress me out!! lol

Click to expand...

My girl showed gravid colors after she mated, but she already had eggs for a month. Im curious if your will show any signs at all.