Embyr Has Concerns

[crickest]

Hi all - my dragon Embyr is almost a year old and for the past two months has been off. She is sleeping more, scratching at the floor of her viv, wanting lower basking temps, and on and off her feed. I need some help with diagnosis.

She is in a 48X25X20 viv with a Repti-sun 10.0, 75 watt basking spotlight and a bright white light at the other end. Her basking temps run 99 - 104 and cool side is between 78 and 84 (temps are lower in the early day, ramping up to hotter in the afternoon). I am using the accurite to take temps. I have been feeding butterworms and mixed greens (mustard, collard, turnip plus whatever else might be in season - escarole, cress, endive - she always gets a staple, plus the other greens for variety.) I have fed phoenix worms, silkies, horn worms and micro supers (the supers I fed for a short time when I couldn't get anything else - two weeks ago.) She goes up and down on her interest in live food, but usually eats a bowl of greens every day to every other day.

I have added sand to the cool side of her viv, under her hide, because she was scratching so much and I'm afraid she's going to lay eggs. I, however, have no experience with egg-laying, so I'm not sure if that's what's going on. (playground sand - sifted) She is sleeping a lot more and sometimes doesn't come out of the hide until almost noon. She's also putting herself to bed by 6 or so in the evening, so some days she only spends a couple of hours out of her viv. I am bathing her a couple of times a week - she's not crazy about it - to ensure she's getting enough water.

The last time I weighed her she was 16" long and weighed in at 433 grams. I estimate she will be one year on July 1st (or there about).

So, is she brumating, even though its May, or she is getting ready to lay eggs and how can I tell? What should I do?

Spark, my male, brumated from October to February, is eating the same diet as Embyr and is doing great. He turned one year on January 1.

Please help.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Your setup is fine, there should be no problems with that at all from what I can see.
How old is your Reptisun 10 tube bulb & how far away is it from her?
Since you have a male, there is a probability of egg development. The only way you can determine for sure that she could be carrying eggs is to get an ultrasound done on her, or an x-ray. An x-ray most likely will not reveal follicles as they are soft & unshelled but will reveal developed eggs.
A blood test would reveal the protein count which could indicate follicular development, as well.
How often do you give calcium for her?

Tracie

 

[crickest]

We are supplementing with calcium five times a week unless the feeders are high calcium count. The Repti-sun will be six months old the end of June and I plan on replacing with the 60 watt EB Megaray. She is about eight inches away when she is on the top of her basking spot. I wasn't sure if I should supplement with liquid calcium, because I have no idea if she has eggs. She has never been out with Spark at the same time so I know if she does have eggs they will be infertile.

She was much better today. She ate a huge bowl of mixed greens and about 3/4 tsp of babyfood squash. And she basked all day. I'm wondering if part of the problem might be that we moved the viv and she is still getting used to being in the dining room instead of my boy's bedroom. When I took her out she was very lively and wanted to take off across the table.

It's so darn confusing sometimes.

Spark's Repti-sun is the same age and he is active all the time, eating like a horse, enjoying his baths and scratching to get out and sit in the window. Can I assume that if one Repti-sun is okay they both are? I ordered them at the same time. I'm planning on getting the Megaray when we get back from vacation (I leave in three days and don't want to change up the set up if I'm not here to monitor the changes, temps, etc.)

Thanks for the help, Tracie. We've had Spark for over a year now and he is doing good. Still a little on the thin side, but eating really good (19" and 500 grams). He lost about 60 grams from brumating and then he was on and off this spring. Right now he is eating about two cups of greens a day and 10 big butter worms. We've had Embyr almost a year and I'm still pretty paranoid.

 

[Buggsy]

Hummm, it does sound if she is scratching and off food she may have eggs, or follicles (which can be reabsorbed). Sand just in the corner is a good indicator, when they begin to scratch remove it and put in a proper lay box. that being said if its her first time, she might not like the open sand. Tough call. I use this method in the spring.

Your set up is excellent (although i wouldn't change to mega ray just yet, i would wait until they get things sorted out a little) and it sounds like she is getting everything she needs. Is she very restless??

I would be tempted to take her for a blood test, they can check calcium and protein content and see if she is getting ready. If not get a proper lay box ready, it could be she just dosnt like the look of the sand.

Im having some of the same issues with me female, and all i can say is wait a little, its spring and their all in 'that' mood. Some times they go off food. Gizmo hasn't eaten properly in 2 months, so Ive just started a babyfood supplement with calcium to keep her going, so its good shes eating greens for you! I had a vet check up last night and we decided to give it a month, if she hasnt layed/started eating again were doing blood work and x-rays.

 

[crickest]

Okay, I'll give it until after our vacation. Our neighbor who has watched our animals a lot will be staying here to take care of them, and she's really good about calling if anything doesn't look right.

About the sand, Embyr only scratches when she's going to bed. She makes herself a little hollow and curls up in it. She's not really scratching at any other time. She's not glass dancing and she's not pacing. She's acting like Spark did in October, like she really wants to just sleep a lot, but then she eats a big bowl of greens and I don't dare let her without digesting the food. I will add a little calcium to her babyfood and keep feeding that. She loves it.

One question though, will she be getting too much calcium if I am feeding butter worms daily? (I offer daily - sometimes she gobbles them up and sometimes she doesn't.)

And I'll wait on the Megaray . . . didn't realize they were having problems, just knew they were on backorder.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Buggsy]

humm so shes not acting like she want to lay then. Strange she is wanting to sleep alot, has she been tested for parasite, i may have missed that, im treating for pinworms (well had 1 dose so far) so that may be where the similarities are. I was shocked as she showed NO signs of illness at all, really bright running around, poops normal etc, just not eating. We put it down to either eggs or worms.

Dont worry about the butters, the only feeder you dont need to dust is phoenix worms.

 

[crickest]

I haven't had her checked, since her poops look solid and firm, not any more smelly than before and her urates are bright white without being chalky.

I'll run a sample into the vet next time she goes. Maybe that's what's going on . . . she hasn't lost any weight . . . she's gaining about 10 grams every couple of weeks (chubby little thing).

 

[Buggsy]

I know thats why i was shocked! Gizmo put on 50g this winter (now 700) with no runny/smelly poops. V big shock to both me and the vet, so it may be worth a try, just in case!

if not it looks like we're both 'waiting and seeing'. Keep monitoring her but as long as her fat stores are fine, and shes not loosing weight shell be fine im sure. May just be follicles.

 

[crickest]

Okay, this morning she came out, ate 10 big butter worms with calcium, about a tsp of squash babyfood, basked for 45 minutes and then went back to her hide. She was curled up asleep when I left for work.

I hope she comes out and basks some time today. If not, should I wake her up when I get home?

 

[Buggsy]

i would, i dont have a hide, just a shaded spot under the basking platform ,as when she was little she would hide all day. Gizmo has been napping late afternoons. I hope she perks up for you, but deff get that fecal done!