Ghost lays ooth

[Brian Liang]

So after 4 weeks after my female molted to adult, she finally layed an ooth. Problem is, I'm not sure if it's fertile. She didn't start calling until a week and a half ago where and I've kept the male, who is now almost dead from old age with her ever since. I've never seem them interact with each other or try to mate except for once where the male was just riding on her back in the afternoon (thought they were supposed to mate at night). I've made many mating attempts with no success. I'm really hoping that it's fertile, but the thing is... it's only about an inch long. I thought ghost ooths were supposed to be 2 inches and can even reach 3, right? And the long thing that's supposed to come out of it at one end isn't even there. I've fed her very well--I pretty much never leave her without making sure she's to the point of refusal to eat. It's quite cold here and hasn't ever reached 80 degrees yet. Today it was 68 in the late afternoon (warmest time of the day). So is this normal? I heard that infertile ooths tend to be deformed or small, so is this a sign that she never mated?

 

[Brian Liang]

Not sure why no one cared to say anything but my female has been laying an ooth everyday for the past 5 days--all really small. She is also refusing to eat...

Day 1: Lays 1 in. ooth that is missing long wiry projection at the end. I feed her and she eats only a little, and reluctantly

Day 2: Lays a little puddle of what looks like the start of an ooth, then stops. Refuses to eat very much.

Day 3: Lays a half in. ooth. I get her to eat half a cricket.

Day 4: Doesn't lay anything but is making the motions of ooth laying. Is refusing to eat at all unless I force her.

Day 5 (today): Lays another half in. ooth. and is making ooth laying motions all through the afternoon. She is looking very thin right now and I haven't tried feeding her anything yet.

So, what in the world is going on? Why can't she just settle for 1 long ooth instead of laying all these tiny ooths everyday? If someone could give some insight on this, it would be much appreciated!!!

 

[glock34girl]

Hey -

I am not sure why no one has responded either. I was actually looking at this post to see if Gosts will lay an ooth even though they haven't been mated. I have heard different theories from different people experienced with this species. I have no idea what to tell you except treat the first ooth as if it were fertile, incubate etc. hope for the best expect the worse kind of thing I suppose. I also have an ooth laid by a ghost but not sure if its fertile because the girl was sent to be 'bred' but I forgot to keep her seperate from the other females. So who knows who laid the ooth. Hopefully someone will come along and help you. I recall a similar situation with someone else but for the life of me I can't remember the thread it was on. Sorry.

 

[Danny.]

Bump up the temps and add sticks to the enclosure. Ghostie girls will lay ooths even if not mated.

 

[glock34girl]

Well that's not what I wanted to hear. Thanks for raining on my parade and popping my floats, Danny!

 

[Danny.]

You're welcome weenie!

 

[Paradoxica]

My infertile females lay ooths but not nearly as often as my mated female. Also the couple of times I've incubated those little blobs of ooth, they never hatched for me.

 

[glock34girl]

You're welcome weenie!

Careful, you'll be voting for me in no time. Thanks Paradoxica for shedding light.

 

[nirotorin]

Well that's disappointing. At least you know now, and won't be watching unhatching oothes for however long.

 

[Brian Liang]

Wait, so they'll only lay the little blobs if they're infertile?

 

[hibiscusmile]

They are like birds, lays eggs all the time, they don't need to mate to lay. You are FEEDING her to much.

 

[Brian Liang]

Well then, this has been a disappointment and I guess I have been feeding a lot lol. My male has just died from old age so I guess there's no hope now. And btw she layed another one today, only about a quarter inch this time. when in the world will she stop...?

 

[Paradoxica]

Incubate them anyway, maybe we'll get a surprise. My 2 out of 2 times having them not hatch is hardly conclusive.

 

[Brian Liang]

Well she layed another one today. It was actually bigger than the other 2 half-inch ooths but still really small. I now have 1 tiny ooth with 3 other super tiny ooths and 2 ooth blobs.

 

[glock34girl]

Mine laid and ooth then laid one over it then blobbed everywhere. Lol