Free Range Scaley

Scaley and I got to enjoy some much needed deck time yesterday.

She wandered around the back yard and ate some ants. She managed to get out of her harness so I'm going to have to figure out a new harness system if I want her to be able to roam a bit.

 

[Skipper7]

How's she doing after the eggs? What was/should her weight before laying?

 

[SpacialCoogs]

Hey hey.
So less than 30 days after her last clutch she laid another 23 eggs. Sigh. She now weighs 346 grams even after eating some wormies. She's alert but still really tired and sleeping a lot.

I've set up an appt to get her spayed March 24th. I'm hopeful that by taking her in when she's healthy and not fighting an infection from her uterus being inflamed. Surgery is so dicey with reptiles there's no guarantee she'll survive or that she'll make it past a week from the surgery. At this point I don't see another option for her overall health and longevity.

Day After eggies

I've been posting her pics on instagram daily.
Shopping for wormies

I have been working on my drawings as opposed to the crochet beardies right now. Here's a commission I just finished.

 

[SpacialCoogs]

How's she doing after the eggs? What was/should her weight before laying?

Hey Skips,

Her weight:
Dec - 398-400 grams maintained throughout her brumation
Feb 10- after eggs - 377-380
March 7 - 346 grams

If she has many more she will die. She laid 3 before getting an infection then going into bumation after we cleared up the infection. She has laid almost 130 eggs in less than 12 months

Normally there should be 1 infertile clutch a year

 

[CooperDragon]

That's rough. It sounds like the surgery, while risky, is probably the best bet. Some of them just really have trouble with the eggs which is risky in itself =(.

 

[SpacialCoogs]

Yeah. It's a hard choice as she may not survive but she has a better chance while she's healthy than if she was sick.

It's not a choice I make lightly.

 

[Skipper7]

I hope all goes well. I'd do the same in your situation. It's hard to see her stressed all the time. Good luck to the both of you.

 

[SpacialCoogs]

So on Friday Scaley went into the vet for surgery. As I expected she was gravid again, sigh.

The vet removed her uterus and follicles so she is now unable to lay eggs. The surgery went well and she was alert and running around that day. I was told to make sure she eats within the next few days and given a pain management regimen for 5 days.

I removed all her climbing apparatus, and laid clean towels down in her enclosure so she wouldn't tear her stitches trying to climb everything.

I put in some worms and veg, as well as fresh water. She started eating the same day! yay! Saturday I went and bought her some big juicy hornworms, she ate those too. She's been alert, spunky and just seeming like her regular self. I was very stressed and worried that i'd lose her either in surgery or in the days after as reptiles do not do well with surgery. Aside from some dopiness from her medicine she is her old self.

Saturday

Sunday

My hope is that she will grow now that she isn't focused on producing clutch after clutch. She is small for her age and hasn't had a good shed in over a year. A few patches here and there, but no significant weight or length gain. I'll be monitoring both regularly but I think she'll always be small.

I have an appt in a month to get her stitches out, so I hope she keeps up with the good progress. She was healthy when she had the surgery unlike a lot of beardies who end up having to have surgery, which I think is why she's responding well.

 

[CooperDragon]

That's really encouraging news, I'm glad to hear it!

 

[Skipper7]

I'm sorry I missed this. I'm glad she seems to be recovering well. I hope she stats to grow and fattens up

 

[Mysty]

Fantastic news. Scaley's a trooper for sure.