Re: ReThanks>.More basic ???'s

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Posted by ZACK! on January 29, 2002 at 21:29:19:

In Reply to: ReThanks>.More basic ???'s posted by dvl on January 29, 2002 at 20:29:57:

Hey man,
I think your Idea Is way cool. I was down at Bob Applegates house a couple of years ago and he too had a project going just like yours. I mean breeding and keeping gilas outdoors. There Is one thing that comes to mind when I think of keeping expensive animals outside, and that Is PREDATORS! Cat's, raccoons, birds of prey, you name It. You need to somehow keep the rest of the wild life out. You might want to shoot Bob Applegate an e-mail about this and see If he can offer you some sound advise. ZACK!

:
: I understand the part of sepatating the egg-laden female from the "others"- BUT does a female eat her own eggs or hatchlings?? Can adult males be kept with juvies? Can more than one male be housed together? I am thinking more and more about doing this. It will take at least a year to set up pens( I'm old and lazy )and since the pens serve to grow cactus and other desert plants I will need to do a lot of research so I get it right the first time. I would have 3pens - 10ft wide and either 30ft long or separate to 15 ft long .I could put in as many tunnels as possible( some dead ends / some interconnecting). I think winters here should be similar to Phoenix (temp wise). Here north of Houston get quite a bit of light frost and a few spells where AM temps dip into the 20's most every year.Rain/ drizzle and cloudy days are far too common but my baby chucks will double in size from Sept-March even with the lack of endless desert sun.My DI's go down in Oct to Nov and stay under till late Feb or early Mar which I think is normal.Big question would be is the removal of females after they lay eggs needed? Maybe leave males and females together unless gravid- then put female in separate pen until eggs are laid-- then back to males pen( thinking out loud here). Do I love the idea of Gilas--yes! Is making some payback money in my mind--yes. That is not the only reason I am looking into this but heck--I want( need ) to add more pens anyway and I really do not need to have any more chucks even though that was what I WAS planning on doing. The payback is terrible for the space and time consumed. Sorry for such long post but I have so many details I want to find out about--

: Thanks

: David
: Copy and paste to see a few pics of my pen --
: http://community.webshots.com/user/davidvl

:
: ......you probably COULD get some of those more stubborn specimens to produce in a set-up like that. You'd still have to get the females out in time before the eggs are laid, and then somehow keep an eye on 'em so you could remove them before they are eaten. Or you could remove the males, supply a variety of nesting choices, and let nature take its course. You might just gain some important insight into solving what has been a mysteriously missing piece of the natural history "jigsaw puzzle". Best of luck to you and please don't be afraid to ask for any kind of help or information when the time comes. I would love to see you succeed!!!

Follow Ups:

Predators?... Them "two-legged" ones are the worst...... kerry 01/29/02 (2)
- Re: Predators?... Them "two-legged" ones are the worst...... ZACK! 01/30/02 (1)
  - Hey man, he was the one to coin that handle...... kerry 01/30/02 (0)

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: Hey man, : I think your Idea Is way cool. I was down at Bob Applegates house a couple of years ago and he too had a project going just like yours. I mean breeding and keeping gilas outdoors. There Is one thing that comes to mind when I think of keeping expensive animals outside, and that Is PREDATORS! Cat's, raccoons, birds of prey, you name It. You need to somehow keep the rest of the wild life out. You might want to shoot Bob Applegate an e-mail about this and see If he can offer you some sound advise. ZACK! : : : : I understand the part of sepatating the egg-laden female from the "others"- BUT does a female eat her own eggs or hatchlings?? Can adult males be kept with juvies? Can more than one male be housed together? I am thinking more and more about doing this. It will take at least a year to set up pens( I'm old and lazy )and since the pens serve to grow cactus and other desert plants I will need to do a lot of research so I get it right the first time. I would have 3pens - 10ft wide and either 30ft long or separate to 15 ft long .I could put in as many tunnels as possible( some dead ends / some interconnecting). I think winters here should be similar to Phoenix (temp wise). Here north of Houston get quite a bit of light frost and a few spells where AM temps dip into the 20's most every year.Rain/ drizzle and cloudy days are far too common but my baby chucks will double in size from Sept-March even with the lack of endless desert sun.My DI's go down in Oct to Nov and stay under till late Feb or early Mar which I think is normal.Big question would be is the removal of females after they lay eggs needed? Maybe leave males and females together unless gravid- then put female in separate pen until eggs are laid-- then back to males pen( thinking out loud here). Do I love the idea of Gilas--yes! Is making some payback money in my mind--yes. That is not the only reason I am looking into this but heck--I want( need ) to add more pens anyway and I really do not need to have any more chucks even though that was what I WAS planning on doing. The payback is terrible for the space and time consumed. Sorry for such long post but I have so many details I want to find out about-- : : Thanks : : David : : Copy and paste to see a few pics of my pen -- : : http://community.webshots.com/user/davidvl : : : : : ......you probably COULD get some of those more stubborn specimens to produce in a set-up like that. You'd still have to get the females out in time before the eggs are laid, and then somehow keep an eye on 'em so you could remove them before they are eaten. Or you could remove the males, supply a variety of nesting choices, and let nature take its course. You might just gain some important insight into solving what has been a mysteriously missing piece of the natural history "jigsaw puzzle". Best of luck to you and please don't be afraid to ask for any kind of help or information when the time comes. I would love to see you succeed!!!

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