We'll start with Sunday night into Monday 3/24-25/13: Trouble with the live stream from 10:24pm to 4:23am and then only inside cam. Still managed to get seven times copulating, one and a half rodents delivered. Pepper did not stay in box as far as we know, she left at 4:46am and cam off air at 5am.
3/25-26/13: We had live stream all night starting at 9:16pm. Salt on the side branch and Pepper inside. Pepper in the box most of night, Salt in and out of box and on branch mostly. Eight times copulation, and two gopher deliveries (1:10am, 2:38am). Pepper left at 6:10am, returned at 6:19am and gone at 6:21am.
Here's the problem as I see it! Yes, Salt is bringing food into the box. Pepper is not hunting, so depends on him. As soon as he brings the two gifts, she devours them. She waits in the morning for him to return with another, he hasn't yet. Pepper needs that extra rodent or so in the pantry for after daylight. I believe this is the added nutrition for laying eggs, AND it tells her that Salt is ready to feed the family! So until she can store extra in that pantry, most likely she will not stay.
One more item for thought: I don't believe the rodent supply is down (buy much anyway) I think our Salt is just being lazy (seen that in the past), here's why: from the time Salt left the branch to the first delivery equals 18 min. he was gone, the second delivery was only 11 min. The night before was only 8 min! just sayin......
4 comments:
Salt,Salt,Salt..you are driving us crazy~~~Barb
Thank you for this information, Bonnie. I'm hopeful for a healthy clutch this year!
"Bee"
Barb is soooo right...Can't take much more Salt - get to work and treat your lady right please.
Bee, you are most welcome, but remember this is all just my deductions. I am hoping Salt comes through or proves me wrong! Big thumbs up on a healthy clutch this year.
So this must mean that the female has some control over when the eggs get laid. It's not that the clock starts ticking once there's fertilization? Sounds like she can put it off for awhile. I'd love to know more about that, if anyone knows. Thanks, Bonnie, for all of this interesting information.
-- Tara
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