Concerned about my gravid beardie. Seeking advice.

rubi9229

Hatchling Member
Beardie name(s)
Pancake
I took Pancake to the exotics vet on February 21, amd it’s March 26, so a little over a month ago. He confirmed my suspicions that she was gravid with an x-ray, but that the (infertile, btw) eggs still weren’t fully developed and it would take a few more weeks. I attached the x-ray at the end.

She‘s been tank surfing every day still and pooping almost every day. She still has an appetite, too. She’s always had kind of a big belly, and I can’t remember her weight but at the visit before this one I learned that she’s normal weight but at the high end of the weight range. That’s all to say that I can’t tell if she’s reabsorbed the eggs, because I don’t think I can feel them? And if she does still have them, I am so scared she won’t be able to lay them.

My main concern is that she’s a little over 4 years old now and has never laid a clutch. I thought she was gravid once a few years ago, but nothing happened and I think she absorbed them back then if she was. I’ve been giving her liquid calcium that the vet gave me, but I’m terrified of her becoming egg-bound.

She has a lay box in her enclosure that I continually moisten so the substrate stays damp. She’ll sit in it and smell it a bit, but she doesn’t dig. She’s only ever displayed digging behavior in the bath or when she’s going to sleep (on a solid surface).

The hottest part of her tank gets up to 110°F and the coolest part in her hide is 79°F. The surface temperature of her dig box is 82°F. She has a big dig box outside of the enclosure but she doesn’t like to be in there.

I’m just wondering what those with gravid beardie experience think of this. Is it normal for her not to have laid yet? Is it too early to be concerned, or should she have seen the vet again already? She seems perfectly healthy other than the tank surfing. Thank you to anyone who responds. I’ve had constant anxiety about this creature since she came into my care four years ago, and I’m praying to God that this is me worrying too much like usual.
B9F7E49F-E349-45C0-90E3-34F3E2E51C7E.jpeg
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I took Pancake to the exotics vet on February 21, amd it’s March 26, so a little over a month ago. He confirmed my suspicions that she was gravid with an x-ray, but that the (infertile, btw) eggs still weren’t fully developed and it would take a few more weeks. I attached the x-ray at the end.

She‘s been tank surfing every day still and pooping almost every day. She still has an appetite, too. She’s always had kind of a big belly, and I can’t remember her weight but at the visit before this one I learned that she’s normal weight but at the high end of the weight range. That’s all to say that I can’t tell if she’s reabsorbed the eggs, because I don’t think I can feel them? And if she does still have them, I am so scared she won’t be able to lay them.

My main concern is that she’s a little over 4 years old now and has never laid a clutch. I thought she was gravid once a few years ago, but nothing happened and I think she absorbed them back then if she was. I’ve been giving her liquid calcium that the vet gave me, but I’m terrified of her becoming egg-bound.

She has a lay box in her enclosure that I continually moisten so the substrate stays damp. She’ll sit in it and smell it a bit, but she doesn’t dig. She’s only ever displayed digging behavior in the bath or when she’s going to sleep (on a solid surface).

The hottest part of her tank gets up to 110°F and the coolest part in her hide is 79°F. The surface temperature of her dig box is 82°F. She has a big dig box outside of the enclosure but she doesn’t like to be in there.

I’m just wondering what those with gravid beardie experience think of this. Is it normal for her not to have laid yet? Is it too early to be concerned, or should she have seen the vet again already? She seems perfectly healthy other than the tank surfing. Thank you to anyone who responds. I’ve had constant anxiety about this creature since she came into my care four years ago, and I’m praying to God that this is me worrying too much like usual. View attachment 79067
We need ahbd to help you
@AHBD
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Can you post a picture of both layboxes ? If you have a small one in her enclosure it's best to have a lid on it and just have a hole as an entrance , also enough room for her to get in it with the lid on. With the large laybox, pile the sand/soil up on one side and start a cave for her by digging out a hole in the sand. They sometimes are motivated to lay once the cave is dug out a bit.
 

rubi9229

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Pancake
Can you post a picture of both layboxes ? If you have a small one in her enclosure it's best to have a lid on it and just have a hole as an entrance , also enough room for her to get in it with the lid on. With the large laybox, pile the sand/soil up on one side and start a cave for her by digging out a hole in the sand. They sometimes are motivated to lay once the cave is dug out a bit.
330F4250-028C-4633-B795-BDEF90F3E4A9.jpeg

Here’s the big one. The one in her enclosure is pretty pathetic to be honest, but it was what I had to work with. It had a top with a hole like you suggested and she used it to go in and out but I couldn’t get it warm enough in there with the top on. Should I put it back anyway?
6836C82B-555D-4209-9A96-708350FA0D66.jpeg

With or without the top she‘ll go in for a few seconds and then go right back out. With the big one, she just tries to get out and doesn’t pay any attention to the hole. I appreciate you responding. I’m pretty stumped.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Yes, best to keep the top on it, the temps. will be fine because in the wild they would enter a cooler area once the start to dig.
 

rubi9229

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Pancake
Yes, best to keep the top on it, the temps. will be fine because in the wild they would enter a cooler area once the start to dig.
Okay, thank you so so much. I'll put the top back. I was struggling with that because a bunch of websites were saying the lay boxes had to be warm and I was so confused.

Would you happen to know if the length of time she's had eggs is concerning or not, or at what length of time it would become concerning?

I put her in the big lay box again today for over an hour and she just tries to get out until she gives up and just sits there.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
It all depends. Another xray can show if she possibly reabsorbed them, if they are still there as follicles or are grown in to eggs. Can you have another xray done soon if she doesn't lay her eggs ?
 

rubi9229

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Pancake
It all depends. Another xray can show if she possibly reabsorbed them, if they are still there as follicles or are grown in to eggs. Can you have another xray done soon if she doesn't lay her eggs ?
Yeah I can call and try to get her in. Maybe they can give her a shot of oxytocin or something. Her behavior seems fine but I'm so worried.
 

rubi9229

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Pancake
Update. She's started digging just a TINY BIT on the floor of her enclosure after weeks of NOTHING. I'm going to put her in her lay box and leave her alone
 

rubi9229

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Pancake
Still no luck. She just sits there and always ignores the hole I dug. Shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.
20230329_195114.jpg
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
If you have a large shoebox laying around, cut one corner out and put it upside down over the sand hill. Dig a little more sand out as well.
 

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