# Popa not laying any ooths...



## mantid_mike (Apr 9, 2013)

I have an adult female Popa Spurca that molted to adult on February 6th. I mated her 2 weeks after that and the male was able to make a connection. Over the course of 1-2 weeks after the first mating, I witnessed the male make at least 5 more connections. So it has been close to 2 months since the mating and she still has not laid a single ooth. She also doesn't eat too often, maybe once a week at best. Doesn't appear to be egg bound either so I don't know what's the deal with her. Is this normal for this species?


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## Reptiliatus (Apr 9, 2013)

I am experiencing a similar situation. I am going to be placing a mated female in a natural/planted enclosure soon in hopes that will stimulate her to lay.


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

Mine's layed 2 ooths, both on a cloth ceiling. I have the enclosure set up so there's a paper towel roll in the center functioning as a tree of sorts, it reaches to the top of the enclosure. She's laid both times so that the ooth is attached to the cloth AND the roll. As if they would lay where a branch meets the trunk of the tree.


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## mantid_mike (Apr 9, 2013)

Reptiliatus said:


> I am experiencing a similar situation. I am going to be placing a mated female in a natural/planted enclosure soon in hopes that will stimulate her to lay.


That was my solution about a month ago. Moved her from a deli cup to a critter keeper, fully furnished with moss at the bottom and big branches/leaves glued at the top. I have no idea what to do anymore.


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## Mime454 (Apr 9, 2013)

Have you kept them before to get a bearing? I feel like my female didn't lay for a few months either, but then starting laying in earnest after that.


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## mantid_mike (Apr 9, 2013)

Malakyoma said:


> Mine's layed 2 ooths, both on a cloth ceiling. I have the enclosure set up so there's a paper towel roll in the center functioning as a tree of sorts, it reaches to the top of the enclosure. She's laid both times so that the ooth is attached to the cloth AND the roll. As if they would lay where a branch meets the trunk of the tree.


Can you post a pic of this? I'm willing to try anything.


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## mantid_mike (Apr 9, 2013)

Mime454 said:


> Have you kept them before to get a bearing? I feel like my female didn't lay for a few months either, but then starting laying in earnest after that.


This is my first experience with breeding Popas.


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

mantid_mike said:


> Can you post a pic of this? I'm willing to try anything.


Of course. Here's a shot I took from outside the screen so pardon the blurriness. You'll notice there's some brown on the fabric, as well as a section that was cut out. both of those are where ooths were laid. The first ooth she laid stuck to the paper towel better than the screen, so when I opened the lid of the enclosure gently it came off from the fabric and stuck to the roll. The second ooth was purely on the fabric so I just cut it out so as not to damage it.


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## Reptiliatus (Apr 9, 2013)

Mime454 said:


> Have you kept them before to get a bearing? I feel like my female didn't lay for a few months either, but then starting laying in earnest after that.


The thing is my female has laid one dud ooth before the male matured out and then was mated twice with him afterwards. Time will tell! I will keep you guys updated on my experience. Please do the same!


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

Mime454 said:


> Have you kept them before to get a bearing? I feel like my female didn't lay for a few months either, but then starting laying in earnest after that.


Mine laid the day after mating, and I mated them maybe 3.5 weeks after she molted to adult, and he was only 1.5 weeks adult as well.


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## Reptiliatus (Apr 9, 2013)

Malakyoma said:


> Mine laid the day after mating, and I mated them maybe 3.5 weeks after she molted to adult, and he was only 1.5 weeks adult as well.


I would be worried in terms of the spermatophore having had time to fertilize her that soon...


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

Reptiliatus said:


> I would be worried in terms of the spermatophore having had time to fertilize her that soon...


I mated her again the following week. but the fact she laid immediately following a mating gives me high hopes it worked.


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## Reptiliatus (Apr 9, 2013)

Malakyoma said:


> I mated her again the following week. but the fact she laid immediately following a mating gives me high hopes it worked.


I guess we will see eventually  .


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

Reptiliatus said:


> I guess we will see eventually  .


I was saying it more to say that my popa started laying very soon, not multiple months after like mime was implying. But yes we will see how everything turns out.


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## aNisip (Apr 9, 2013)

My adult female enjoyed her adult life after her first two weeks....after she was mature, she probably mated any 30 times...almost every other day she was connected with one of two males...abt two more weeks after her first mating she laid her first, much like Malak describes (wedged in a corner)....from then on her other ooths were laid either on the dead leaves I had in her enclosure or flat on the net... also every ooth yeilded ~80 nymphs....


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## mantid_mike (Apr 9, 2013)

Malakyoma said:


> Of course. Here's a shot I took from outside the screen so pardon the blurriness. You'll notice there's some brown on the fabric, as well as a section that was cut out. both of those are where ooths were laid. The first ooth she laid stuck to the paper towel better than the screen, so when I opened the lid of the enclosure gently it came off from the fabric and stuck to the roll. The second ooth was purely on the fabric so I just cut it out so as not to damage it.


Is that a paper towel roll going up to the top? Also, how humid do you keep the enclosure?


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## mantid_mike (Apr 9, 2013)

AndrewNisip said:


> My adult female enjoyed her adult life after her first two weeks....after she was mature, she probably mated any 30 times...almost every other day she was connected with one of two males...abt two more weeks after her first mating she laid her first, much like Malak describes (wedged in a corner)....from then on her other ooths were laid either on the dead leaves I had in her enclosure or flat on the net... also every ooth yeilded ~80 nymphs....


I'd love to have those results!! :clover:


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

mantid_mike said:


> Is that a paper towel roll going up to the top? Also, how humid do you keep the enclosure?


yep its a paper towel roll covered by fabric at the top so things dont crawl inside. it sits right in the middle of the enclosure with some fake ferns glued to the side to act like a tree. Goes all the way to the top.

I don't have a hygrometer to measure humidity, but my best guess is 70% or so except at night when I spray every enclosure it goes up quite a bit. I have a humidifier sevicing the whole room and I spray everything daily or twice daily.


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## mantid_mike (Apr 9, 2013)

Malakyoma said:


> yep its a paper towel roll covered by fabric at the top so things dont crawl inside. it sits right in the middle of the enclosure with some fake ferns glued to the side to act like a tree. Goes all the way to the top.
> 
> I don't have a hygrometer to measure humidity, but my best guess is 70% or so except at night when I spray every enclosure it goes up quite a bit. I have a humidifier sevicing the whole room and I spray everything daily or twice daily.


Maybe humidity could be my issue. Her enclosure is pretty dry.


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

mantid_mike said:


> Maybe humidity could be my issue. Her enclosure is pretty dry.


Mine hates being sprayed directly, best I can do is soak the bark at the bottom a little. I've never seen her drink.


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## Malakyoma (Apr 9, 2013)

Reptiliatus said:


> I would be worried in terms of the spermatophore having had time to fertilize her that soon...


My girl's first ooth just hatched. found some little ones scurrying about I guess the zipper wasnt 100% done up. There's lots of babies


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## mantid_mike (Apr 12, 2013)

FINALLY, the ooth has been laid. Must have been humidity. nline2long:


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