Infertile egg?

[SirKevin]

Weird situation with a gecko I have here. She hasn't eaten in quite a bit and has lost several grams (about 54 to 52)...tonight, I was checking her enclosure and I found...an egg? She is a proven breeder but hasn't been bred for a good half a year now (the first time she was bred she laid 10 eggs, all fertile). I never noticed the egg in her visually before, and I do pay fairly close attention. Also, there was definitely only one egg laid.

Since I've never bred personally (she was a proven with someone else) I actually just wanted 100 % verification that this IS an egg (though I don't see what else it could be...).

What could make her lay it? Is there anything special I should be doing with her?

Thanks!

 

[nwheat]

Sure is! I had one girl who had never been with a male lay one infertile egg at a time until I put her in with a male. Sometimes they'll do that. She should have a lay box so she doesn't retain them. Don't worry about losing a couple of grams - they're in that egg she just laid! She'll gain them back quickly.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

It is not all that uncommon for females to lay infertile eggs even if not exposed to a male. This happens when females ovulate and a follicle actually forms into an egg.

 

[boutiquegecko]

Now that just happened to us, but my girl has 2 fertiles in the incubator and just laid an infertile egg that collapsed or something. It's very strange to me. I don't know if I should put her back in with the male or not, since they retain the sperm??

 

[leopardgecko95]

as already said, it is just an infertile egg most likely.

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Now that just happened to us, but my girl has 2 fertiles in the incubator and just laid an infertile egg that collapsed or something. It's very strange to me. I don't know if I should put her back in with the male or not, since they retain the sperm??

If your girl is a first time breeder, there's nothing to worry about. It's quite common for them to have infertile eggs, even mixed in with the fertile ones. I've had a few of them this season. The only reason you might need to re-introduce the male is if you've gotten NO fertile eggs out of several clutches.

 

[boutiquegecko]

Well she has 2 fertile ones so far, and then only laid this one-after 5 weeks. She's 2 and yes a first time breeder. Should I be concerned with her only laying 1?

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Only if you see another egg in her. One of my girls just had a single egg clutch, after laying 2 clutches of 2 eggs each. Another girl laid a single egg clutch (fertile), then a 2 egg clutch (fertile), and then another 2 egg clutch (1 infertile). Yet another girl has had 3 normal sized clutches, all apparently infertile. With first time breeders, it's all up in the air. Again, only worry if you see that she retained an egg.