Help with infertile eggs/decreasing light hours

[NathanNatalie3002]

Hello, my 14 month beardie started laying eggs last month.

She has never been in contact with a male so definitely infertile. She layed 35 eggs and then 4 weeks later on the same day at the same time (strange) she laid 2 eggs in her tank and a further 27 in her lay box.

It's been a nightmare because she is so fussy and gets agitated if her lay box is left in the tank when she isn't ready, and then layed 2 on the floor because she didn't have it and I still didn't think she was ready... The first time she ripped a claw off and got very stressed but now she is fine

I really don't want her to do this again anytime soon but know that I can't prevent it.

I'm in the UK and its almost winter here and she is still on 14 hrs daylight. I'm going on holiday for 2 weeks in 5 weeks time and I don't like anyone taking care of her really (protective haha) but I know she will be fine as long as she is acting in her normal way. The thing is, I am worried about her laying eggs again... And I definitely do not want anyone else taking care of her while this is going on because I don't think it's fair and I'm scared that they won't meet her needs because of how particular my beardie is.

My friend who owns reptiles said that because its winter, after these eggs (second clutch) which she layed 2 days ago it might be a good idea to decrease her hours by half am hour gradually each day until she only has 12 hours light. He said that it may stop her from producing more eggs at this time, and won't harm her as this happens in the wild and it is winter time now.

What do you think? I just don't want to stop her doing something she should, or will this affect her in anyway? Please send your advice.

 

[AHBD]

Hi there...how big is your girl ? Can you post a pic ? Did she lose much weight or is she a real large girl still ? You have a bit of a dilemna because it's really important to feed + hydrate after egg laying, and there's no way of telling exactly what condition she will be in a month from now if you decrease her lights + attempt to put her in a forced brumation. A female that lays eggs should be getting a lot of calcium + protein for a couple of weeks after, just to build her own health back up. So your timing of your vacation is going to have you a little worried no matter which decision you make, and she will need someone at least to check in on her every other day. By the way, most females that lay will at one point rip a nail or two or more. In captivity, it's almost inevitable because of how they dig at everything in their quest for the perfect laying spot.

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

I don't understand the last post FxjhFvwo39, but AHBD she has always been a big girl, looked a bit wrinkly after laying but nothing that water and a bath didn't sort out, she is eating like a pig and completely normal, looks healthy and bright, back to her lazy self though!

Wow I didn't know this would cause a brumation, I just thought that you had to decrease the hours in winter gradually. I don't want to force her into a brumation...
Sorry for the late reply I have been busy, it's been so nice to have her back to normal though and not stressed out.

I can't believe how many eggs she has layed.

Yeah I know they rip nails off but it isn't nice and I don't want her ripping any more off I have a picture here of her 2 days after laying.

She is eating locusts and morio worms and the odd bit of veg but she will not touch crickets as yet, back to pooing every 2-3 days in the bath like before. When she was laying she was pooing everyday even tiny amounts because of all the running around.

I was told to give calcium everyday until 1 year old so she has had this each day and vitamins 2-3x a week. As she was 13 months when she started laying I had just started to decrease her calcium to 3x pw and vits 2xpw but started giving her it everyday when I figured she was laying, she is currently getting calcium every day and vitamins 2-3x a week again.

Here she is:

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

And this is her just now, a bit dark as she is in the cold end:

 

[AHBD]

Well, she is a big old picture of health, you would never know she just laid eggs. I guess you will have to decide if you feel comfortable leaving her in 5 weeks, if you decrease the light schedule just a bit, it may have the result your friend mentioned, and anyway she just by coincidence may be done producing eggs this year. Can you have an X-ray done to ease your mind in another 3 weeks ? That would give time for them to be visible if she develops another clutch [ and then she'd be close to laying again, too] So it's what you feel comfortable with. What would your plan be if she does develop another clutch ?

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

Yeah I think she is healthy as far as I can see! It's expensive in the UK for X-rays, I can't cancel my holiday I'm going at Christmas to Mexico and its all booked and payed. I am fine leaving her if she is normal and I guess I'd be okay if she started laying again but I just panic a lot I prefer to look after her in that situation. I don't know what ill do, maybe decrease to 13 hrs? I don't want her to go into Brumation really unless I'm here for it all as this would be her first time...

I hope that's it for this year but can't tell really she is a big dragon I think her parents were big also, she's a giant haha, I wouldn't be surprised if she did. But she layed so many!

I don't know what to do

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

And she is strange she looks skinny immediately after laying but within a day or two she is back to her chubby self! Haha. I have a picture of her right after he layed her first clutch asleep on my bed I will post it when I get the time.

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

http://m1267.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/natalietowell/photo-10.jpg.html?o=0

This link might work for that picture I can't copy image code for some reason

 

[AHBD]

Yes, she is in no danger of being malnourished, that's for sure. So if I understand right, you were going to leave her alone for 2 weeks ?

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

See the pic and post above... No I wasn't going to leave her alone. She will be with my partners mum. She will be livin there for just over 2 weeks before our holiday I will be living there with her to get her settled in even though she doesn't need it haha, she loves it there! She never gets relocation stress. She will be fed and checked on each day. And bathed every 3 so she can poo. But that's it. I didn't want to have to make them deal with all the egg laying and scratching and pooing every day, in her lay box etc its not fair on them

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

I would never leave her alone for 2 weeks! I can barely leave her for a day even if someone checks in on her haha, sorry if it came across that way.

 

[AHBD]

Oh, O.K , I totally misunderstood when you said you wouldn't trust her with anyone, so now I have the picture. She looks healthy, and I wouldn't worry about her at all. You'll know in 2-3 weeks if she's going to lay again, so hopefully it's all over for her for now, and even if she does lay again she should be fine. She is very meaty, so she should get through everything just fine, even if she does lay another clutch or decides to get sleepy for the winter.

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

I know but I just don't like the thought of an inexperienced dragon keeper taking care of her if she does lay eggs I suppose she will be okay though maybe I'm being too protective, do you think I can just reduce to 13 hrs then instead of the full 12 see what that does?

Thanks

 

[AHBD]

I think reducing to 12 is O.K. just as well. I don't know how I missed that in your original post, but somehow I was thinking that your friend was telling you to gradually reduce the time until the lights were off altogether. I must have been thinking about another thread..... :shock:

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

Nooooo he said reduce gradually by half an hour each day from 14 to 12 hours. Just maybe then this will make her think breeding time is over and stop her producing another clutch?

I just wanted to know if that would be ok