Logging the breeding timeline

Why the timeline matters to buyers

Most buyers browsing for reptiles have never seen a live breeding record. When they find your pairing and see documented stages, confirmed dates, and stage photos, they see a breeder who takes record-keeping seriously. That professionalism converts browsers into waitlist members, and waitlist members into buyers.

• Documented timelines make buyers more likely to join and stay on your waitlist
• Each new milestone is a reason for watchers to check back in
• Completed stages tell buyers this is real and on track — not speculative
• Stage photos turn an abstract record into something buyers can see and respond to emotionally

How to log a stage

Open your pairing edit page and find the Breeding Timeline section. Tap any stage node to open a date input. Enter the date you observed that milestone and tap Save. The node turns green with the date displayed below it. Each completed stage is visible to buyers on your public pairing page immediately.

The 6 stages explained

Each stage marks a specific event in the breeding cycle.

• Introduced — The first day you put sire and dame together. Log this as your pairing date.
• Locked — You observed a confirmed copulation. The most significant stage for buyers — it tells them fertilisation was confirmed, not just hoped for.
• Pre-lay shed — The dame sheds before laying. A reliable biological signal that eggs are 2–4 weeks away. Buyers who see this stage update get visibly more engaged.
• Laid — Eggs are in the incubation container. Log the clutch size here. Buyers will see how many animals are potentially available — this directly affects waitlist behaviour.
• Pipping — Eggs are cutting. Hatch is typically within 48–72 hours. Your waitlist will be checking your profile multiple times a day.
• Hatched — Hatchlings are out. Log the final count. Your waitlist is notified automatically. Link listings and complete the cycle.

Log stages in real time

Log each stage the day it happens, or as close to it as possible. Buyers following your pairing can see when the record was last updated. Recent updates signal an active, attentive breeder. Logging stages months after the fact looks like catching up on paperwork. Logging in real time makes each update feel like a live event — and live events are what keep waitlists warm.

Clutch size and hatch count

When you log the Laid stage, fill in the Clutch Size field. When you log Hatched, fill in the Hatch Count. Buyers use clutch size to gauge how competitive the waitlist is. A clutch of 10 with a waitlist of 6 signals good odds. A clutch of 4 with a waitlist of 20 creates urgency. Both are useful signals — but only if you fill the fields in.

Incubation temperature

The Incubation Temp field is optional but worth completing if you're selling to serious collectors. Some morph buyers — particularly for temperature-sensitive species — want to know incubation conditions. It's one more detail that signals professional record-keeping, costs you nothing to add, and may be the deciding factor for a buyer choosing between two similar pairings.