Is my rescue beardie gravid? Mixed signs

Status
Not open for further replies.
Basically I "rescued" my cousins bearded dragon about 3 months ago now after she couldnt care for it properly, she had it only a week after her partners friend sold it them. She was told she had laid her first infertile clutch already and has been living with a male for 4 months :|

She came to me in a glass tank, no heat bulb, sand as substrate very dark, saggy skin and very underweight. Around 165g. She also had a bent front foot probably caused by insufficient calcium dusting and I was told she was very gravid, she clearly wasn't and I was greatful for that fact as it probably would have killed her.

This is how she came to me on the 23rd of June at 160g


I instantly sorted her a heat bulb and got rid of all that sand. I stuck her straight in a warm bath and massaged her abdomen feeling for any develping eggs and to get her to poop to get a fecal done. Which I successfully achieved. She was riddled with worms so i got that sorted with treatment. Couldn't feel any eggs or any small hard balls. :D

This is her on a few dates in august, weighing 280 grams :D I named her Helga.


I got her fully on the mend ravaging food and veg and filled her with calcium ect. Shes such a beaut now lovely bright colour, fat and happy lol.

To the real story sorry for rambling. On the 12th September helga weighed 306 grams, she has gone more and more off her food only eating a couple of mario worms a day and no veggies at all now. I leave them in for her fresh, washed and dusted how she likes them. She usually eats the lot but not even attempting to have a lick at them. Nothing in her viv has changed except there is now a new female rescue in the kitchen but she hasn't seen her or anything. She started digging on the 24th not constantly but enough to make me think about eggs.she hasn't done it since then though. I weighed her yesterday and felt for eggs she's 342 grams thats an inrease of nearly 40 grams and I couldn't feel any at all but her stomach seems hard and rounded. I let her out everyday to explore my livingroom she goes all over running around. When in the bath she doesnt flatten out but rather tries her hardest to get out and looks tense. I took some pics for you guy of her and her belly. She seems pear shape now.





Anyway advice is greatly appreciated. What should I do for her now? I'm at a loss...
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
It's a very good possibility that she's carrying eggs. You can't always feel infertile eggs and please be careful as the rubbing on the stomach can be painful since we don't know exactly at what point the pressure is too hard. You can set up a lay box using the info at the top of this page about laying. There are also videos on youtube.
 

SpacialCoogs

Sub-Adult Member
The eggs take time to develop so she could be looking for a spot to lay them now but isn't quite ready to do so. I could never feel the eggs in my girl.

Make a laybox so it's available and keep an eye on her, give her a few days and try her in the box. I ended up putting my laybox in the viv for a period of time so she could lay and have access to her food and water.

Kudos to you, the first pic was heart wrenching. She looks amazing now!
 

HelgasHooman

Member
Original Poster
Thankyou both for your replys. I only have children's play sand available to use at the moment is that ok? I don't have a large amount of it though. I will make it up tomorrow morning, let her warm up first and try her with a bit of food. And then maybe let her have a few hours in it. Is it okay to use a heat mat? My basking lamp is a built in one.

Shes only eaten one waxworm today. I will keep weighing her every couple of days just to keep check on her. Suppose it's just a waiting game now. :blob8:
 

HelgasHooman

Member
Original Poster
I will try, considering she isn't eating though is there another way of getting more calcium in her? Other than dusting foods
 

SpacialCoogs

Sub-Adult Member
For her laybox I use playsand mixed with some topsoil. It keeps it's shape so she can dig a burrow then cover the eggs.
 

HelgasHooman

Member
Original Poster
Ok update...

I setup the laybox about half 6 this morning temp is 29c now, helgas had an hour warming up gunna put her in till about 12 maybe 1ish if nothing will give her a bath and put her back in her enclosure. Suppose that's all I can do for now, I did have a feel of her abdomen again softly and lifted her tail I did see some outlines but I can't be 100% sure. So I'm guessing if she does have eggs shes either not ready to lay or they are infertile and ready any day. Oh how I do hate waiting :roll:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

Forum statistics

Threads
155,903
Messages
1,255,709
Members
75,967
Latest member
Newbeardiemom09
Top Bottom