Not that common Eggeater

[MCD]

I agree, indigenous stuff does rock. I would much rather start keeping them ( i love eggeaters and auraura's above all other herps) but with the various laws in our country it is nearly impossible in some places, like Gauteng - and no disrespect to anyone, i just don't have the time to belong to any Association, attend meetings and 'earn' approval, even though i think of myself as a responsable herper. From what i've been told, it takes ages to be able to buy a legal/permited indigenous from an existing breeder. Having said that, i wish i did have the time, some of your really are blessed to be able to do this, and i would love a pair of het albino eggies, but alas, so many of us are stuck with exotics only, not wanting to get into trouble with the authorities. Sad but true in many cases i feel.

[Durban Keeper]

What happened to this albino fellow? Would be great to hear if he is still doing ok & maybe creating some hets?

[Bushviper]

This guy was with a female that laid 3 fertile eggs. The problem is eggeaters are known to retain sperm for up to 7 years so who the father is I have no idea. She was with him since I got him and not near any other males so I am hoping it was his mating that produced these eggs. At this stage I assume it is his babies and will treat the hatchlings as hets until they prove otherwise.

I have some young (virgin?) females which I am hoping to put him with next year and then those babies will be hets.

[Durban Keeper]

Great, just as long as he is alive & well & work is being done thanks BV.

[Buck Rogers]

Hey BV what's the progress on this little fellow and the "patternless" one?

[Bushviper]

Buck they are sleeping. If you did not notice it is bloody freezing. Thats a good sign that it is winter and all local colubrids must rest up.

Will let you know what happens when they wake up. August?

[Quintin]

lol @ BV

[10gbooj]

Lmao @ bv. . .

[Buck Rogers]

Cold?! What are you talking about?! Thats the problem with these bloody reptiles, they are too lazy!! When I was there age we had to work through the winter...lol

Good to hibernate them, so few people do that with our indig stuff and it really makes a huge difference... I'll be waiting anxiously till August.

[Durban Keeper]

Amelistic scabra eish! Definitely a cool project! something worth looking forward to. Just imagine the day those babies hatch. wa la la!

[10gbooj]

DK if the fathers babies hatch in August they will only be hets. A huge step forward none the less...
Best of luck to you BV

[Bushviper]

I already have hets from this year but you can never have too many hets. It will be a number of years before any females will be big enough to be put back with the father. I am not in a hurry as this will take years to see any results.

[Quintin]

BV, I'm sure its definitely worth the wait!!! Exciting stuff!

Q

[Durban Keeper]

Thanks, I realize that 10gb, did some research into genetic recessive traits before i purchased my p. regius.
At least if you use virgin scabra females, you'll be working with guaranteed hets, which is a huge step forward, even if the dad dies before the babies reach sexual maturity, you'll have 66% possible & at least one amel baby from a pairing of the offspring, not so?

[Bushviper]

If I put a brother and sister baby together there will be 75% of the clutch normal looking (some hets and some not) and 25 % albinos. If I manage to put a female back with the dad I know the 50 percent normal looking babies are all hets and then I will have 50% albinos. Dasypeltis live for decades but they also have the habit of just keeling over (no pun about the scales now) for no reason. We will have to wait and see what the future holds