Help....6 month old beardie in trouble

[annlizardlover]

This is quite a tale but anyway I got 2 beardies bak. Brother & sister. They're 6 months old. Hence my problem. They'd been in the same cage for idk how long. Now poor little 6 month old female, Willow, is gravid -- by her own brother! I raise beardies every summer. They mate in spring & I get eggs every single summer. But they're ADULTS! This is different. Willow has eggs you can see & feel. She's SO small. Way too young to mate & bear eggs. Idk what to do. She's going nuts in her viv & is glass-dancing furiously, wanting out, & has started digging today. Will her eggs be any good? Will this kill her, laying so young? I can't bear to lose her after just getting her back! And my oldest, Roxy, is dying slowly. She's '14 & will b 15 in April. She only eats every 3 days or so & duz nothing but sleep. She's very skinny & I try my best to get her 2 eat. Crickets are outta the question so I try different types of worms but she just lies there, eyes closed. She won't be here much longer. So in losing her, after losing all my others & now poor Willow is gravid & I'm afraid for her. Can any1 advise me on her, with her age, and how to handle this? Do I just make a nest & let her lay, as u wud with an adult? Gandolph, the brother who did this, is going nuts too. His beard is constantly black & it's like he knows. He wants out bad! Sorry this is so long but I had to tell the entire story. Thanks for your help.

[Graphic details removed by moderator due to its shock value since this is a PG-13 forum and also family oriented]

 

[haley7204]

First of all, how big is the female? I haven't dealt much with breeding beardies but the first set of eggs ever is usually infertile and she may just lay them while they are small. I had a pictus gecko become gravid at 4 months and at 7 grams(half of the suggested breeding weight) and she laid the eggs and did just fine. Just make the cage environment as comfortable as possible for her. Good luck!
-Haley

 

[annlizardlover]

Thx Hayley 4 replying. It's done & over with. See my newest post from 2 days ago I think. Little Willow laid her eggs then & they are ALL fertile. She lay a clutch of 19 & they're absolutely huge!! U don't even have to candle them to see the pink embryo inside. Gandolph DID mate with her, her own brother!! She's doing fine although very small. I'm trying to get her weight back up in case she lays another clutch in a month. Her mother, now dead, lay 6 clutches in one summer. So she may do the same. She's WAAAY too young 4 this & it makes me sick. So I'm left with the aftermath. Gandolph her brother stays black under his beard & bobs & runs towards her (he can see her from his new cage) constantly. When she was laying, he just stared at her like he knew they were his. I was working to get them in the incubator fast & he stared at me too! I think he knows. He won't leave her alone tho, even from across the room he does all he can to intimidate her. He's a real mess!!! Talk about spring fever! Haha!! I hope all the eggs are ok. I know there can be deaths & bad birth defects with a brother & sister mating so I'm praying these little ones will be ok.

 

[haley7204]

good luck! I know about the spring "friendlys" Hope she does okay!

 

[annlizardlover]

Thanks! I appreciate the support. I've had nothing but bad things happen since I got home from the hospital & I need a break. I hope this is it. I can't help but be excited over these 19 eggs & I just hope that they hatch out ok & won't have 10 heads or sumthing really bad. I've kinda been mad at Gandolph but I realize nature takes it's course & he's a male acting on instinct so I can't blame him! I got him out earlier & gave him some love which he really acted like he appreciated some time out of his cage for awhile. I love them all but I'm down to 6, the least I've had since I started. The joy of watching them hatch is unlike anything else & IDW to miss that this year. My poor babies, 2 of which were Gandolph & Willow's brothers, died & I miss so much but I have to move on I guess. I think these eggs here are a blessing, not a curse & I think they'll be ok. I hope to continue on. I'll be ok tho and am busy looking after who I have left.

 

[haley7204]

The feeling of not having your babies is awful. My baby beardy got out and hes been missing for 25+ hours right now. Maybe rescuing some beardies would help ease the pain. I hope you get some more reptile friends. Hope all goes well!

 

[annlizardlover]

Oh no!!! Ur poor baby!! I hope u find him soon. How old or small is he? Usually beardies are much easier to find if they escape (as opposed to say a Uromastyx who tend to ball up & hide) because they're larger & can't really ball up like the Uros do. B4 I went into the hospital on 1/4, my Yellow Nigerian Uromastyx, Oscar, was sleeping on my shoulder when I started vomiting really bad. It scared him & he took off. This was in December so it was cold on the floor. I was frantic but very sick. He was gone for 2-1/2 weeks. My roommates, looked everywhere for him. I always keep a one foot high board up at the door to my room so if one gets out he's confined to that one room. I was too sick to raise my head except to get sick & cud NOT look 4 him. I was so worried but one day I saw movement & there he was! He'd come out to bask in the sunlight coming thru the window. I thought I'd never see him again! It's taken time for him to get used to being here again. He was scared to death of everything at first but he's doing great now. But do NOT give up hope! Oscar was missing for over 2 weeks & I found him. Beardies can't hide like Uros can. They're too big but idk how big ur baby is. But u'll find him! Don't give up! They HAVE to come out sooner or later. I'd put some greens out on the floor of the room u think he's in. I did that with a baby Uro I got at a reptile show & he jumped out of his container & got lost in my brand new car!! The lid wasn't on tight & when I picked it up, it fell off & he was out & under the seat in a flash. He was TINY, only about 2" long but I kept putting food out & caught him within a week. Fix the greens very neatly in a circle. That way u can tell if they're disturbed & the lizard is eating them (there'll be a mess around the plate). It works. I know & I've lost two over a 15 yr period & gotten two back! Good luck finding him! I believe u will.

 

[haley7204]

Thanks! He is about 10 inches but he can ball up pretty small. I will try the greens. I have a basking spot outside the cage for him. I have torn apart my room and closet looking for him but he is still nowhere to be found. He knows where the cage is when he is my room but i don't know if he can get to it if he is outside the cage. Good luck with you lizards!

 

[diamc]

[Some posts were edited here due to their graphic nature and detailed info]

 

[annlizardlover]

So Haley, have u found ur little dragon yet? I sure hope so!!

 

[haley7204]

So Haley, have u found ur little dragon yet? I sure hope so!!

Not yet...Tonight will be 6 days. I have done everything from checking inside of shoes to pulling out the dryer. I just don't know where he is

 

[annlizardlover]

Oh Haley I'm so sorry. U sed u were putting out the greens like I mentioned. Have they been disturbed or eaten? Do u think he's eating them at all? It sounds like he cud be anywhere in your house so I hope u don't live in a huge house. It can take forever to find one if they're not confined to one room. That's why I keep my room door barred in summer when I let them run around. Another good place to look is under the fridge coz it's warm under there with the motor running, or whatever. I know my fridge stays really warm underneath anyway. Also if u have a furnace or anywhere heat comes out like floor vents, etc. Anywhere warm, look there. He's gonna try to find heat & warmth. Is there any way he cud've gotten outside? Idk where u live so hopefully it's not too cold there. We just got 2" of sleet/ice yesterday & they're calling 4 more all day Thurs & Fri. This is NC & it's usually getting warm by now!!! This is ridiculous but I pray ur in a warmer area & at least have carpet so the floors won't b so cold 4 him. Any sign of ahh...droppings from him? I'd look 4 every sign I cud. Keep putting greens out, in several rooms if u have to. He's probly 2 scared 2 come out, especially a baby or juvenile. Keep trying. Don't give up. He's alive in there sumwhere & needs his mom!!! He just duznt no it yet. I'll keep praying u find him.

 

[haley7204]

He hasn't disturbed them it at all. We put out strawberries as well. Unfortunately We live in an almost 5000 sq. ft house on an acre. The house happens to almost be completely tile except the bedrooms. I checked the fridge. No way he got outside but their is no snow here. It usually stays around 60 degrees. He is a semi-shy 11 inch juvenile that isn't food driven right now. I was looking for droppings but there is just nothing. Tonight will be 6 days since i have seen him. I hope your dragons are doing well. Thank you for the help!

 

[icelore]

When she was laying, he just stared at her like he knew they were his. I think he knows. He won't leave her alone tho, even from across the room he does all he can to intimidate her.

There's no point in personifying your dragon. He doesn't "know" any eggs are his, and even if he did, he wouldn't care since dragons don't participate in the parenting process. He's just a male, acting like a male dragon that sees a female. Your own human moralities in regards to relations and genetics do not apply to animals. One is culturally taught (you), one is naturally dictated (dragons).