How soon after mating does the female lay her eggs?

[RabidDragon.]

Question:
How soon after mating does a female panther lay her eggs?

I have a female panther that has now laid 3 clutches of eggs since 9/16/16. The first two clutches there was no chance they were fertilized. However this last clutch she might of had a chance... Story is.... I have a male that recently very matured, about a week before the last clutch was laid I forgot to shut their cages (I have the male and female cages next to each other and no, they cant normally see each other). I found the two of them crawling on the outside of the female's cage... on the same side, about a foot apart. SO.... there is a chance, but it seems awfully close to her laying the eggs that I question if they are in fact fertilized... of course she had laid the preceding batch of eggs just a month before so the whole cycle seems fast.
I'm getting pretty good at figuring out when she will want to lay the eggs, I just don't know where in the cycle of egg development that they mate.. in the beginning before the female even looks gravid? in the middle? just before laying?

On a side note: I am not trying to breed them. I have shortened the number of hours the lights are on hoping this will slow the females egg production down.
Thanks for any help.

 

[alphakenc]

How soon after mating does a female panther lay her eggs?

Usually around 60days.

 

[bobcochran]

I would say the female panther becomes receptive to breeding about 30 days after she's last laid eggs. Then 30 more days after breeding she's ready to lay the eggs. So, between egg laying is about 60 days total.

 

[Angelwolf]

Sounds like you may have some babies on your hands. Good luck with them! Possibly though, this could be a "good" mistake. This may straighten out her hormones and get her into a more normal cycle. (It works for dogs, so maybe chams, too?)

 

[RabidDragon.]

Thanks for the replies,
To answer my own question after learning:
My female panther chameleon was receptive to mate about 2 weeks after laying her previous batch of eggs.
The male was introduced to the female in the afternoon (several mating's occurred) and removed for the night, the female was receptive the following morning also so the male spend the day in her enclosure. The morning after this she was clear in her lack of interest.
Its been 27 days since mating and the female is currently digging again for her fourth clutch.... within ~6 months. I'm hoping she will stop or slow down her egg production with this.

side note:
How I have come to learn my female is ready to lay:
1. she has grown very round.
2. Has very strong appetite during egg production but then her appetite nearly stops.
3. Begins roaming the enclosure continuously.
4. When offered a chance to leave her enclosure and walk down the to carpet/floor she takes it immediately and starts to "dig" the carpet. (An act I was initially surprised at the first time with all the comments and articles stating they would abandon the hole if they notice they are being watched. I have come to learn that while my chameleons would escape up a tree if they had the opportunity they also do not fear me and actually trust me).