The following is an account of the temperature settings that I use to promote breeding. Also listed is the young produced over the years using this system.
Throughout most of the year, the temperature is set at a day time high of 30 degrees Centigrade (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and a night time low of 25 degrees Centigrade (77 degrees Fahrenheit). In early November I start to slowly drop the NTL (Night Time Low) gradually over a period of 6 weeks and then maintain this minimum temperature for a further 2 weeks before starting the mating season, starting in the first week of January. These conditions remain fixed over the next 3 months when I introduce the mating pairs together. In the last week of March, I then start to slowly increase the NTL over a period of 3 weeks back to its original level. Throughout this period the DTH (Day Time High) remains the same.
I have calibrated my Vivguard thermometers so that rather than just have a knob that you can turn to increase the NTD (Night Time Drop), it now has a dial that fairly accurately determines the drop in temperature. These dial settings are represented in the NTL Setting column of the tables below. Since these figures are relative and particular to my thermometers, they are of little consequence to those viewing the data, and is more for my benefit.
The temperatures displayed are all night time temperatures
Females
| Date |
NTL Setting
|
Temp in Centigrade
|
Temp in Fahrenheit
|
| November 1st |
10
- Normal
|
26.5
|
79.7
|
| November 4th |
12
|
25.5
|
77.9
|
| November 15th |
14
|
24.6
|
76.3
|
| November 26th |
16
|
22.2
|
72.0
|
| December 10th |
18
|
20.3
|
68.5
|
Males
| Date |
NTL Setting
|
Temp in Centigrade
|
Temp in Fahrenheit
|
| November 1st |
4
- Normal
|
25.5
|
77.9
|
| November 4th |
6
|
24.6
|
76.3
|
| November 12th |
8
|
23.8
|
74.8
|
| November 20th |
10
|
23.0
|
73.4
|
| November 29th |
12
|
22.0
|
71.6
|
| December 10th |
16
|
19.6
|
67.3
|
The above temperatures are a close approximation of the temperatures achieved at periods over the first 6 weeks of cooling. Once the desired NTD has been achieved, a further 2 weeks of acclimitization is permitted before pairing begins in the first week of January. On a cold night, the night time temperature has been noted to drop as low as 18 degrees Centigrade (64 degrees Fahrenheit), without any harm to the Emeralds.
In the last week of March, the above process of cooling is reversed to produce the spring warming period. This time, the time taken to decrease the NTD is lowered to 3 weeks.
Female 1
|
Date
|
Total Number of
Neonates
|
Live
|
Stillborn
|
Unfertilised Ovum
|
| October 3rd, 1993 | None | None | None | 6 |
| September 7th, 1995 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| September 19th, 1997 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 1998 Breeding Season | Unsuccessful | None | None | None |
| August/September 2000 | Hopeful |
Female 1, has to date produced only 3 live young with many unfertilized ovum. I am at a loss to understand the large number of slugs that she has produced.
Female 2
|
Date
|
Total Number of
Neonates
|
Live
|
Stillborn
|
Unfertilised Ovum
|
| January 3rd, 1992 | 3 | 3 | None | 12 |
| September 26th, 1993 | 13 | 12 | 1 | None |
| August 19th, 1995 | 19 | 17 | 2 | None |
| September 6th, 1997 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 3 |
| 1998 Breeding Season | Unsuccessful | None | None | None |
| August/September 2000 | Hopeful |
Female 2, has to date produced 43 live young, with comparatively less unfertilized ovum.
To date I have managed to breed and successfully rear 46 young.
I currently have two gravid females, so September 2000 should be a good month if all goes well.