how do I make a lay box

[hayl55]

hello, my Lilly is VERY pregnant, and going crazy...she keeps digging in her sand, but refuses to lay. I can distinctly feel ALOT of eggs and she loks like shes about to burst..so I would assume they are coming soon. I have my incubator all set up and waiting but I think Lilly is waiting to lay her eggs untile she has a lay box. how do I make a lay box?? what materials and substrates do I need???

heres a pic of the prego she stopped digging briefly so I could take a picture

 

[Kagome100]

Get a large rubbermade tub, i would use a clear one and just wrap something around it so its dark. Fill with plane top soil up to 8 or so inches. You can get the top soil from a store, just make sure its JUST top soil nothing added in it. Make the soil moist but not dripping. Fix the lid to make it where you can put the light on top. Put her in the box and let her go do town hope this helps.

Why i like a clear box is when they did the laying, you can uncover and look to see if you can see the eggs so you know where to dig them out at.

 

[Leologan42]

I used vermiculite and sand (Home Depot) 50/50 mixture and damp enough for it to make a clump in your hand. Put the mixture in a large rubbermaid tub. I laid the mix down about 12 inches deep and tamped it down a bit so she would not get cave-ins . If you can get a lid that fits the rubbermaid grab it. Cut the lid in half and cover one side. She may want her privacy while she lays. I clamped a heat lamp on the other side of the bin so Montana would not get cold.

It was my girls first clutch so I put her in a few times leading up to her laying to get her some practice. The third time she layed.

If you want to keep the eggs make sure you have a proper incubator. You can get a Hova-bator for under $75 it is an inexpensive incubator that will work for Dragons.

 

[hayl55]

thanks for all the tips I'll be making her a laybox in 2 minutes hopefully she gets teh hint and will start to lay tonight!!!

 

[hayl55]

ok, so I made her a lay bx...put her in it...and what does she do??? she stops digging, looks at me and gives me this look, like "why the heck did you put me in here?did I do somethign bad??" then she lounged on teh edge of teh box, and climbed back out..only to start glass dancing and digging right infront of teh box.....arg...what am I going to do with this silly lizard!!!

 

[Kagome100]

You said she climed out of the box? The box might not be big enough. Some people use a large box where they can not get out. As in the box being not inside the tank at all. You fix the lid up where you clamp a light on it but she can't get out. Just make sure that soil or sand is moist enough but not to wet. You might have to leave her alone in there over night. Just dont go in the room for a while some times they hate it when people watch. Well thats what i read.

 

[hayl55]

yea she keeps climbing in and out of teh box, but not digging in it.I'm thinking she will do it tomorrow while I am gone for work..but right now her lights are going to go out soon and shes all tuckered out. But I'm thinking tomorrow will be the day

 

[Kagome100]

Ok well good luck let us know if she lays

 

[hayl55]

Still no eggs... I'm starting to get worried now I hope shes not egg bound.. I love my Lilly and cant bare to see her in pain. Thats why I'm selling my male becuase I dont want them to breed, and I dont have the time for him, so its not fair to keep him.

 

[Kagome100]

She must not like the lay box. it might not be big or warm enough for her.

Maybe some one else on the forums can help also.