First Breeding of 2008!

**Dionythicus** · 02-12-08, 04:43 PM

I'm only going to breed 4-5 females this year, mostly to get some projects underway. Today was the start of my most important project...Christmas caramel motleys. Dubloon, my banded butter mot (a rescue freebie) had her post bru shed this morning so I put her in with Solstice, my Christmas boy, and it took him a little bit of effort, but he finally figured it out. She was being so patient with him, it was sweet. I don't know if she's ever been bred before (I don't know any of her history), and this is his first. I have my fingers crossed to see some Chriscarmots in three years.

Joanna · 02-12-08, 05:01 PM

Congratulations and good luck! That should be a beautiful combo.

**Joni Garcia** · 02-13-08, 10:40 AM

Congrats! Sounds like an awesome project.

**Dionythicus** · 03-20-08, 03:20 PM

She refused her first mouse, so I put in a lay box. I can feel at least 9-10 eggs. I would be happy with a small clutch. I only want to keep 1.2 or 2.3 for hets anyway.

**Dionythicus** · 04-02-08, 05:50 PM

Pre-lay shed today!! She's settled into her lay box and is more irritable than ever. C'mon, Dubloon, give mommy some good eggs!

**Dionythicus** · 04-05-08, 02:15 PM

I checked on her this morning and she's in the process of laying. Looks like several slugs and a few good ones so far. Both parents are first timers. Since this is a project clutch, it would be nice to have lots of babies, but I'll settle for 1.1 to come out of it.

Joanna · 04-05-08, 04:33 PM

Woohoo!

**Dionythicus** · 04-05-08, 05:10 PM

Unfortunately, it looks like slug soup. No good eggs yet. There may not be any. If that's the case, I'll try to double clutch her and cross my fingers.

**Russell** · 04-05-08, 05:20 PM

oh no! sorry to hear that! breeding any animal is never a sure thing! But I have had females slug the first clutch and the second clutch was all fertile...go figure! Hope that happens for you!

**Dionythicus** · 04-06-08, 10:04 PM

Well, this one wasn't meant to be.

She didn't lay a single good egg, it was primarily a mushy mess with about 7 confirmed slugs. She came right out of the laybox as soon as she was done, but she hasn't eaten the fuzzy I put in yet. Oh, well.