HELP WITH GRAVID FEMALE

Hello,

I just wanted to send an update. On Monday I took Petunia to the vet, who did an ultrasound and said that she has around 8 eggs. Petunia is still eating (a lot actually...up now to 2 bowls of greens a day and 20-30 roaches) and not showing any signs of digging.

The vet just told me that as long as she is eating and using the restroom (also has been normal...every day) that everything is fine and I should worry until I see her trying to dig.

The only other thing I have noticed about her is that she is puffing up more frequently...often when she gets to run around shell stop in one corner for a while and puff up until I come and pick her up. She never has black beard when this occurs tho so I'm not sure what it could mean.

Best,

Josh

Hi Josh, at least you have more peace of mind now, she's probably fine. Not sure what the puffing is about, they can do that randomly .

Hi everyone,

There has been no change with Petunia. She has still been going to the bathroom every day and eats around 2 bowls of greens and 20 roaches a day. The past couple days she started eating a little less.

She still shows no signs of digging or wanting to lay. I still put her in her lay box for an hour a day and bath her every other day.

She is not showing any black beard but continues to puff up her body very large at seemingly random times - but she always puffs back down if I pick her up or pet her back.

It has now been over a month since an X-ray confirmed she had formed eggs. Isn't that odd? I read that with fertilized eggs they usually are laid about a month after the mating...shouldnt it be faster with infertile eggs? Also they were already formed and visible on the X-ray a month ago.

Im not sure what else I can do. The vet said to just keep doing what im doing until she starts digging and only then to be worried something might be wrong if she doesn't lay (anyone agree or disagree?).

Thanks!

Did you see the ultrasound yourself + the vet pointed out the follicles ? And you say they were visible a month ago ? If so they they should have become shelled and she most likely would have laid them by now. With her big appetite it doesn't sound like a dragon that's near time to lay eggs or that's having trouble in any way. Can you post new pics of her ? BTW, 20 roaches is a lot of protein for an adult beardie . Are they large ones ?

AHBD":2vmq6ydd said:

Did you see the ultrasound yourself + the vet pointed out the follicles ? And you say they were visible a month ago ? If so they they should have become shelled and she most likely would have laid them by now. With her big appetite it doesn't sound like a dragon that's near time to lay eggs or that's having trouble in any way. Can you post new pics of her ? BTW, 20 roaches is a lot of protein for an adult beardie . Are they large ones ?

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Hello,

I did not see the ultrasound as my vet decided to stop letting owners into the building, but I did see the x-ray from over a month ago, which showed defined round shapes.

I did not know that 20 roaches is a lot...if she goes through 2 bowls of greens a day how many roaches or crickets should I feed her a day? (both insects are around 0.8-1 inch long sizes)

She has continued to act normally (she is less active but not lethargic), eat normally, and poo normally. I still put her in the dig box but she still just sits there or leans on the edge of the box like she wants to get out. Also, a week or 2 ago I noticed that I could actually feel hard things in her belly like eggs. However, when giving her a bath yesterday I could no longer feel the hard spots. She is still very large but seems less massive than she did a week ago.

Could she have reabsorbed the eggs and not be going to lay them?

Thanks!

I've forgotten how old she is, and can you post some new glamor shots of Miss Petunia ? Is she about the same size ? Twenty insects a day is a lot, I'd cut it down to 10-15 along with all her salad. As for feeling eggs in a beardie, it's actually misinformation that it's easy to feel eggs, especially infertile ones. A beardie's belly often feels lumpy simply because of how much food they can jam in so there can be a difference every time you feel the belly area. And no way can a dragon reabsorb shelled eggs. They can absorb unshelled egg follicles but not developed eggs.

AHBD":3sfp0mh5 said:

I've forgotten how old she is, and can you post some new glamor shots of Miss Petunia ? Is she about the same size ? Twenty insects a day is a lot, I'd cut it down to 10-15 along with all her salad. As for feeling eggs in a beardie, it's actually misinformation that it's easy to feel eggs, especially infertile ones. A beardie's belly often feels lumpy simply because of how much food they can jam in so there can be a difference every time you feel the belly area. And no way can a dragon reabsorb shelled eggs. They can absorb unshelled egg follicles but not developed eggs.

Click to expand...

Hello,

Thank you for the advice about the insects. We are now giving Petunia 10-15 roaches or crickets a day and 1-2 bowls of greens. Below are some pictures of Petunia taken today - she is around 1 year old.

I wonder what could be happening with her if she cannot have reabsorbed the eggs. It has been well over a month now since we could see her eggs on the X-ray, and she is still eating / using the bathroom normally and showing no signs of laying (well she is a little less active but maybe that's just her nearing adulthood?).

Hey again,

I noticed a change in Petunia's behavior the past few days. Usually she spends around 1/2 her time in her tank and 1/2 her time out around our apartment in windows with constant direct sunlight (also with a heat / UV combo above her).

Usually when she is out in her spots around the apartment she would just sit calmly and bask for hours...but now she seems very fidgety and constantly runs away to sit in certain dark hiddey spots in corners.

I started putting her in her lay box when she would do these run-and-hides but she just climbs out of the box and doesn't seem to want to be in there.

However, when she is in her tank she just sits in the basking spot as normal.

Hello,

How is your girl doing?
She isn't interested in digging in her laybox at all? Well, hopefully if she has eggs that need
to be laid she will eventually use the laybox!
She is eating right now? I think she looks good, overall, nice & bright colors too with no black
beard either.

Let us know how she is doing!
Tracie